THE 


yiOLI  N 


HOW  TO  MHKE  IT. 


BY 


7?  Mkster  of  the  Instrument- 


BOSTON  : 


Published  by 

e©,. 

|5Q  TRgMONT  ST.,  BOSTON. 


DANCLA’S 

CELEBRATED 


OL 

Easy 


and  Very  Progressive, 


IN 


TWO  VOLUMES. 

This  superb  work  in  its  complete  form  will  be  warmly  welcomed  by  students  of  the  king 
of  instruments,  and  by  teachers  who  have  been  hampered  by  imperfect  text  books. 

It  is  generally  acknowledged  to  be  one  of  the  best  methods  for  teachers  and  beginners 
Contains  a  thorough  and  systematic  arrangement  of  easy,  pleasing  and  VERY  PRO¬ 
GRESSIVE  studies,  arranged  in  the  form  of  melodious  and  entertaining  duets  for  master  and 
Pupil. 

The  Complete  Work  contains 


168 

Large  Size  Pages  of  Music. 

The  character  of  the  work  may  fairly  be  judged  by  its 

CONTENTS. 

Vol.  I.— Preface.  Remarks.  Position  of  the  body.  Position  of  Violin  and  the  bow 
Tuning.  Metronome.  Tuning  of  the  Violin.  Value  of  notes.  Preparatory  exercise.  Trip¬ 
lets.  Major  Scales.  Rests.  Keeping  time.  On  the  dot.  Accidentals.  Twelve  melodic 
exercises.  Exercises  on  the  slur.  Syncopation.  Regular  and  Broken.  Clear  intonation. 
Intervals.  Crossing  fingers.  Scale  in  C  major.  Scale  in  A  minor.  Expansion.  Chromatic 
scale.  Half  chromatic  tone.  Half  diatonic  tone.  Twenty  short  exercises.  On  expres¬ 
sion.  Position  of  the  hand.  Double  stops.  Two  easy  duets.  Explanation  of  the  signs  for 
down  and  up  bow.  Three  easy  studies. 

Vol.  2. — Division  of  the  Bow.  Staccato  bowing.  Two  Studies.  The  twenty-four  scales. 
Martelato  bowing.  Exercise.  Exercise  in  triads.  Broad  staccato.  Thirty-six  pieces. 
Caprices.  Study  in  the  3d  position.  Vibrations,  sustaining  tones.  Study  in  the  2d  position. 
Uniting  the  five  different  positions.  Bounding  staccato.  Exercise  in  thirds.  The  trill.  Ex¬ 
ercise  on  trill.  Syncopation.  Long  and  short  notes.  Study  in  the  3d  position.  Appoggia- 
tura  or  grace  note.  Fingering.  Abbreviations.  Close  bowing.  Organ  Point.  Hold. 
Groups  of  notes.  Embellishments.  Thrown  staccato.  Character  of  the  four  strings  of  Vio¬ 
lin.  Trill  and  grace  notes.  Staccato.  Staccato  down  bow.  Study.  Double  stop.  Study. 
Staccato  and  dot.  Change  of  tones  fingered  and  those  of  the  open  strings.  Study.  Study 
of  the  bounding  staccato.  Half  position.  Drawn  tones.  Study  for  the  drawn  tone  and 
the  hold.  Arpeggios.  Study.  Octaves  Study.  Quality  of  tone.  Sordine.  Study  for  the 
2d  position.  Enharmonic  tones.  Tremolants.  Varieties  in  tuning  theViolin.  Triple  stop 
(chords).  Preludes.  Shifting  the  position  of  hand.  Chromatic  scales.  Pizzicato.  Har¬ 
monics. 

Price:  Vol.  I,  $  1.00;  Vol.  II,  $2.00;  Two  Volumes  bound  in  one,  complete,  $3.00. 
Mailed,  Postpaid,  upon  receipt  of  marked  Price. 

0,  W.  STORY,  26  Central  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 


THE 


HOW  TO  MMKE  IT. 


+  BY  + 

7X  7VYkste  F2  Ore  THE  I NSTRUMENT- 


BOSTON 


t 


Published 


by 


oaw  ER  ©TP9®NaOO,. 

I  BO  TREMONT  ST.,  BOSTON. 


PREFACE. 


That  this  modest  volume  challenges  no  criticism,  is  plain,  from  the 
fact  that  the  author  is  not  in  search  of  fame,  but  aims  only  to  produce  a 
work  written  in  language  so  plain  as  to  be  readily  understood  by  all 
lovers  of  the  violin,  high  or  low;  a  book  free  from  ambiguities,  and  that 
kind  of  language  which  conceals  ideas.  Its  merit,  if  it  be  acknowledged, 
will  be  based  not  upon  its  character  as  a  literary  work,  but  because  its 
contents  are  of  a  useful  and  practical  nature.  The  author’s  information 
has  been  derived  mainly  from  his  own  experience,  corroborated  by  the 
communications  and  opinions  of  many  others  of  such  standing  as  to  give 
high  value  to  their  authority.  He  feels,  therefore,  that  he  is  justified 
in  placing  it,  with  modest  confidence,  before  those  who  are  in  a  condition 
to  require  it,  without  any  hazard  of  leading  them  astray,  and  with  an 
earnest  desire  that  it  may  prove  useful. 

That  this  little  work  may  enable  the  inexperienced  mechanical  ama¬ 
teur  to  understand  the  construction  of  the  instrument  in  a  general  sense, 
and  that  it  may  also  convey  such  practical  information  as  will  render  the 
unskilled  purchaser  capable  of  judging  intelligently  and  independently 
of  the  merits  and  demerits  of  instruments,  is  the  author’s  fervent  wish. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2019  with  funding  from 
Getty  Research  Institute 


% 


https://archive.org/details/violinhowtomakeiOOmast 


THE  VIOLIN. 


HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  THE  INSTRUMENT. 

Bow-instruments  exist  from  a  very  early  date,  some  of 
which  approximate  closely  in  form  to  our  modern  Violin, 
whilst  others  are  of  the  rudest  description,  but  still  possess 
one  important  distinction  from  other  stringed  instruments, 
viz.,  that  of  being  played  upon  by  a  bow,  as  those  truly 
possess  a  character  and  quality  essentially  their  own. 
Among  such  instruments  may  be  ranked  the  following, 
although  a  great  many  more  might  be  enumerated:  —  The 
Ravanstron  of  India  and  Ceylon  ;  the  Rouana  of  the  same 
countries  ;  the  Urh-heen,  or  Fiddle  of  China  ;  the  Omerti 
and  Kemangeh-a-gous  of  Arabia  and  Persia  ;  the  Rebab, 
also  an  Arabian  instrument ;  the  Goudok  of  Russia  ;  the 
Soorunga  and  Tarau,  or  Thro,  of  the  Burmese  Empire  ; 
the  Koba  of  Tartary  ;  the  single-stringed  Violin,  or  Mono¬ 
chord,  of  Egypt ;  the  Fidla.  Langspel,  and  Sumphion  of 
the  Icelanders  ;  the  Gue  of  the  Shetlanders  ;  the  Guhue  of 
Africa  ;  the  Crouther,  Crwth,  or  Crowd,  of  Scotland,  Ireland, 
and  Wales  ;  the  Linterculus  ;  and  lastly,  the  Viol  species, 
which  bear  the  nearest  resemblance  to  the  Violin  proper. 

Let  us  rapidly  glance  over  some  of  the  foregoing  instru¬ 
ments,  whereby  we  may  trace  a  slight  similitude  to  that  of 

(3) 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


4 

the  Violin.  The  Ravanastron  and  Rouana  are  constructed 
almost  precisely  similar,  both  being  formed  of  a  wooden 
cylinder,  over  one  end  of  which  a  piece  of  skin  or  thin  wood 
is  fixed,  serving  as  a  sounding-board,  upon  which  is  olaced 
a  small  bridge,  whilst  attached  crosswise  to  the  wooden  tube 
is  a  handle  containing  two  pegs  for  retaining  the  two  strings 
of  this  primitive  instrument.  The  Urh-heen,  or  Chinese 
fiddle,  is  constructed  with  a  cylindrical  body,  over  which  is 
stretched  a  piece  of  snake’s  skin,  upon  which  rests  a  bridge, 
over  which  four  strings  are  stretched,  terminating  in  the 
pegs,  which  are  inserted  in  a  line  in  the  longitudinal  and 
cylindrical  hand  of  the  instrument.  The  four  strings  have 
the  bow  attached  to  them  instead  of  being  held  free  in  the 
hand  of  the  player.  The  Omerti  is  a  somewhat  similarly 
constructed  instrument ;  but  having  a  body  formed  from  the 
shell  of  the  cocoa-nut,  part  of  which  is  removed  and  re¬ 
placed  by  skin  or  wood  to  form  the  belly  of  the  instrument, 
whilst  holes  of  fantastic  shape  are  cut  through  the  body  of  the 
shell,  forming  a  communication  with  the  internal  air.  This, 
also,  is  a  two-stringed  instrument,  as  well  as  the  Kemangeh- 
a-gous  of  the  Arabs,  which  is  of  the  same  form  and  construc¬ 
tion.  The  Rebab  and  Goudok  are  somewhat  similar,  but 
each  having  four  sides,  upon  the  under  and  upper  edges  of 
which  pieces  of  skin  are  stretched  to  form  the  back  and 
breast.  The  Goudok  is  of  a  more  advanced  construction 
than  the  Rebab,  possessing  a  curved  head,  tail-piece,  finger¬ 
board,  and  sounding  holes  in  the  breast,  whilst  the  body  of 
this  instrument  is  better  adapted  for  volume  of  tone.  The 
Soorunga  is  a  three-stringed  instrument,  having  the  body 
and  neck  formed  from  a  solid  block  of  wood.  The  back  of 
this  instrument  is  very  convex,  being  almost  a  semicircle, 
and  is  exquisitely  hollowed  out,  whilst  the  neck  is  of  a  some¬ 
what  similar  pattern  to  that  of  the  violin,  but  instead  of  a  scroll 
there  are  generally  carvings  of  birds,  etc.,  below  which  are 
the  pegs.  The  front  of  this  instrument  is  entirely  hollow, 
except  near  to  the  extreme  end,  where  a  small  piece  of 
parchment  is  stretched  which  forms  the  belly,  upon  which 
is  placed  the  bridge  sustaining  the  three  strings  which  are 
united  to  a  tail-piece  as  in  the  ordinary  violin.  Part  of  the 
convex  sides  are  cut  away  in  graceful  curves,  whilst  upon 
the  surface  of  the  back  a  few  variegated  figures  are  carved. 
The  Tarau,  or  Thro,  of  the  same  country,  is  of  an  elongated 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


5 


form  somewhat  resembling  the  common  violin,  having  three 
strings  and  a  finger-board  carved  in  wood  or  ivory.  The  Koba 
is  an  instrument  somewhat  analogous  to  the  former,  and 
having  two  horsehair  strings.  The  Monochord,  or  single 
stringed  violin,  is  common  throughout  Egypt,  but  the 
ancient  Egyptians  appear  to  have  been  acquainted  with  a 
two-stringed  instrument  at  a  very  early  date,  as  Graham,  in 
his  account  of  the  first  Edinburgh  Musical  Festival,  relates, 
that  upon  an  Egyptian  obelisk  brought  to  Rome  by 
Augustus,  and  which  was  supposed  to  have  been  originally 
erected  at  Heliopolis  by  Sesostris,  four  centuries  previous  to 
the  Trojan  war,  is  a  representation  of  an  instrument  twenty- 
one  inches  in  length,  having  a  neck  and  two  strings,  and 
an  outline  resembling  a  guitar,  but  which  may  certainly  be 
excluded  from  the  violin  species,  as  there  is  every  proba¬ 
bility  for  supposing  that  no  bow-instrument  was  known  in 
Egypt  at  such  an  early  period.  The  Fidla  of  the  Icelanders 
was  a  rudely  fashioned  instrument,  having  six  wires  or 
strings  of  brass  or  copper,  whilst  the  Langspel  and  Sum- 
phion  were  of  a  similar  construction,  the  former  having 
four  and  sometimes  five  brass  or  copper  strings,  with  a 
fretted  finger-board  beneath.  All  those  instruments  were 
in  use  in  Iceland  from  an  early  date,  but  are  now  almost 
extinct.  The  Gue  was  an  early  musical  instrument  in  use 
amongst  the  Shetlanders,  along  with  another  species  of  violin 
having  two  horsehair  strings,  which  probably  was  derived 
from  Iceland  or  Norway,  and  which  wras  performed  upon  in 
a  manner  resembling  that  of  the  violoncello.  The  Guhue 
is  an  instrument  of  rude  construction  used  in  Africa,  having 
five  hair  string's.  This  instrument  is  sometimes  used  as  a 
guitar,  and  at  other  times  played  upon  by  a  bowq  as  custom 
or  fancy  may  dictate.  Another  instrument,  somewhat  sim¬ 
ilar  in  form  to  the  Guhue,  is  also  used  in  some  parts  of 
Africa,  having  a  large  single  string  formed  from  a  number 
of  twisted  hairs,  and  having  two  holes  cut  in  the  breast,  which 
is  a  piece  of  skin  stretched  over  part  of  the  instrument. 
Such  are  a  few  of  the  earliest  bow-instruments,  some  of 
which  are  supposed  to  have  been  in  use  from  a  very  remote 
period,  as  the  Ravanstron  of  India  has  been  traditionally 
ascribed  to  have  been  known  there  several  thousands  of 
years  anterior  to  the  birth  of  Christ. 

We  now  arrive  at  what  is  supposed  to  be  a  more  modern 


6 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


European  instrument,  although  certainly  very  old  —  the 
Crwth,  or  Crowd.  Some  learned  authors  are  of  opinion 
that  those  two  names  do  not  imply  a  synonymous  instru¬ 
ment,  but  this  must  be  left  to  those  deeply  versed  in  anti¬ 
quarian  lore.  This  instrument  at  an  early  date  was  very 
common  throughout  Wales  and  the  Scottish  Highlands,  as 
well  as  in  other  parts  of  Europe.  The  earliest  mention 
made  of  the  Crwth  is  in  the  poems  of  Venantius  Fortunatus 
(Book  V.),  who  was  Bishop  of  Poitou,  where,  in  an 
address  to  Lupus,  Duke  of  Champagne,  he  states  — 

“  Plaudat  tibi  Barbarus  harpa, 

Chrotta  Britanna  canat.” 

“  Let  the  barbarian  praise  thee  with  the  harp, 

Let  the  British  Crwth  sing.” 

This  reverend  poet  wrote  about  the  year  560,  but  it  is 
generally  supposed  the  Crwth  is  of  a  much  anterior  date 
to  this ;  but  at  the  same  time  it  must  be  particularly 
observed  that  this  writer  who  thus  mentions  the  Bi'itisJi 
Crwth  was  an  Italian,  as  also,  that  one  essential  and  impor¬ 
tant  distinguishing  feature  used  by  him  to  designate  the  style 
of  music  belonging  to  the  Crwth,  is  in  using  the  word  canat , 
sing,  thereby  implying  a  quality  in  the  instrument  somewhat 
synonymous  to  the  human  voice.  The  word  appears  to  be 
of  Celtic  origin,  although  we  find  a  remarkable  resemblance 
between  the  word  Crwth  and  the  ancient  and  modern  Irish 
term  emit ,  signifying  a  harp.  The  distinction  between 
those  ancient  musical  instruments  is  one  of  the  utmost  diffi¬ 
culty,  as  most  of  the  sculptured  representations  are  much 
defaced,  and  little  care  bestowed  sometimes  in  the  cutting 
of  them.  From  decayed  relics,  monumental  sculptures, 
ancient  manuscripts,  and  other  documents,  wre  learn  the 
form  and  construction  of  the  ancient  Crwth.  In  the  writ¬ 
ings  of  Montfaufon,  a  picture  is  given  of  a  five-stringed 
Violin,  which  is  represented  in  the  hands  of  a  player,  this 
drawing  having  been  copied  from  a  monumental  statue 
upon  the  church  of  Notre  Dame  in  Paris.  This  statue  is 
supposed  to  have  been  sculptured  about  the  same  period 
as  that  in  which  Venantius  Fortunatus  wrote,  but  this  is 
doubtful.  Of  the  Crwth  there  have  been  different  kinds, 
the  most  ancient  having  had  three  strings,  whilst  the  num¬ 
ber  subsequently  was  increased  to  six.  One  distinguishing 
feature  between  the  Crw'th  and  Viol,  is  in  the  almost  equal 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


7 


prolongation  of  that  part  of  the  instrument  through  which 
the  openings  are  cut  for  the  admission  of  the  fingers  whilst 
playing.  It  will  be  seen  from  the  following  that  this  instru¬ 
ment,  although  of  the  same  class,  is  widely  different  from 
the  Violin,  but  is  nevertheless  an  early  though  primitive 
type  of  the  same  family.  From  dimensions  taken  from 
several  specimens  of  the  British  Crwth,  the  following  meas¬ 
urements  may  be  taken  as  a  mean:  —  Length  20I  to  22I 
inches ;  breadth  at  bottom,  ojk  to  10 ;  breadth  at  top,  8  ; 
depth,  2  ;  length  of  finger-board,  10  to  10I  inches.  The 
back  and  breast  were  generally  made  of  maple,  the  breast 
sometimes  containing  only  two  circular  sound-holes  at  the 
bottom,  about  1?  inches  in  diameter,  but  some  other  instru¬ 
ments  of  the  same  type  had  two  additional  round  holes  cut 
through  the  lower  or  opposite  end.  The  bridge  was  made 
of  a  peculiar  form,  having  one  foot  much  longer  than  the 
other,  which  passed  through  one  of  the  sounding-holes,  and 
rested  on  the  inner  surface  of  the  back,  whilst  the  shorter 
foot  rested  upon  the  breast  as  in  the  Violin,  being  placed 
near  to  one  of  the  circular  openings.  Two  elongated  open¬ 
ings  were  cut  through  the  narrow  end  of  the  instrument 
parallel  with  the  sides,  to  allow  the  thumb  and  lingers  of 
the  player  to  pass,  whilst  the  solid  piece  left  in  the  centre 
served  as  a  hand,  upon  which  was  placed  a  finger-board. 
Six  vertical  holes  were  cut  for  the  pegs  near  to  the  extremity 
of  the  instrument,  and  in  a  line  with  the  outer  edge,  whilst 
the  tail-piece  was  often  made  of  different  patterns,  and 
attached  in  various  ways  to  the  breast.  The  bridge  sup¬ 
porting  the  six  strings  was  placed  diagonally  across  the 
breast,  four  strings  passing  over  the  finger-board,  whilst  the 
remaining  two  were  placed  at  some  distance  from  the  others, 
to  the  left  of  the  finger-board,  and  were  intended  to  be  played 
by  the  thumb.  There  were  several  methods  of  tuning  the 
instrument,  amongst  which  the  two  following  may  be 
mentioned  :  — 


STRINGS. 

1st 

1st  4th  2nd  3rd 


9-— - - - 1 - 

t 

-  - - 

_ 1 _ 

( 

s  N,  , 

V 

7  r-  ....  H  .  _ ^ 

^  "  'S'-  5th  — l- 

2nd  3rd  ^ 

4th  5th 

6th 

EARLIER  METHOD.  LATER  METHOD. 


8 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


The  Honorable  Dailies  Barrington,  in  an  interesting 
paper  on  the  Crwth,  presented  to  the  London  Antiquarian 
Society,  states  that  he  heard  the  instrument  played  upon  by 
John  Morgan  in  Anglesea,  about  1770,  and  even  at  that 
period,  he  observes,  the  instrument  was  almost  extinct ; 
but  we  learn  from  another  authority,  who  had  frequently 
heard  the  instrument,  that  it  was  in  use  at  a  period  thirty 
years  later  amongst  some  of  the  old  Welsh  peasantry.  The 
Crwth  is  stated  by  some  authors  to  be  of  British  origin, 
whilst  others  fancy  it  belongs  originally  to  France,  and 
from  thence  passed  to  Britain. 

The  next  instrument  claiming  attention  is  the  Viol,  which 
was  also  known  at  a  very  early  date,  and  was  in  common 
use  throughout  Britain  during  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth 
centuries.  Its  origin  is  attributed  to  one,  Alcuin  or  Albinus, 
who  lived  in  the  eighth  century.  The  earliest  Viols  appear 
to  have  had  three  strings,  but  the  number  was  changed  at 
later  periods  to  four,  five,  and  six.  Viols  were  made  of  all 
sizes  and  shapes,  from  the  diminutive  three-stringed  favor¬ 
ite,  to  the  voluminous  Violone,  and  were  a  highly  esteemed 

class  of  instruments,  inasmuch  as  in 
every  household  of  the  wealthier  classes 
a  chest  of  Viols  formed  an  indispen¬ 
sable  requisite.  The  accompanying 
illustration  of  the  Viol,  as  used  in  Scot¬ 
land  in  the  fifteenth  century,  will  con¬ 
vey  to  the  mind  of  the  reader  a  better 
idea  of  the  appearance  of  this  instru¬ 
ment  than  the  most  detailed  written 
description.  The  chest  or  quartet  of 
Viols  bore  a  similar  analogy  to  our 
quartet  of  Violins,  viz.,  two  treble, 
two  tenor,  and  two  bass-Viols,  which 
important  combination  arose  from 
forming  a  set  of  instruments  approaching  in  harmony  to 
the  various  grades  of  the  human  voice,  viz.,  Soprano,  Con¬ 
tralto,  Tenor,  and  Bass.  At  a  period  subsequent  to  this, 
the  bass  variety  was  distinguished  by  the  name  of  Viol 
di  Gamba,  from  its  position  between  the  legs  when  played 
upon,  whilst  finally  the  terms  Violone  or  Contre-Basso, 
Violoncello,  Viola,  and  Violin  comprised  the  distinctive 
titles  of  the  Viol  family  in  its  perfected  state.  The  finger- 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


9 


board  of  the  viol  was  fretted  for  the  proper  stopping  of  the 
strings,  as  in  the  guitar,  whilst  various  methods  of  tuning 
were  adopted,  but  the  most  prevalent  system  in  Britain,  at 
least,  appears  to  have  been  that  by  Fourths. 

So  great  was  the  supremacy  of  this  instrument  amongst 
our  ancestors,  that  for  several  years  after  the  Violin  had 
been  introduced,  the  Viol  always  held  the  preference,  until 
the  former  became  more  widely  known,  and  its  qualities 
truly  appreciated.  The  Viol,  although  a  pleasing,  was  a 
soft  instrument,  the  sounds  possessing  little  loudness  or 
intensity.  For  a  period  of  many  years  afterthe  Violin  began 
to  be  first  introduced,  and  thus  to  supplant  the  Viol,  we 
learn  from  a  contemporary  writer  the  struggles  it  had  to 
encounter  ere  it  attained  priority.  In  allusion  to  a  concert 
of  various  instruments,  the  author  remarks  — 

“  The  scoulding  Violins  will  out-top  them  all 
and  whilst  he  is  willing  to  admit  a  couple  of  Violins  amongst 
the  other  instruments  adapted  for  a  “  merry-making,”  he 
takes  the  precaution  to  have  also  a  u  a  -pair  of  lusty ,  well- 
sized  theorboes —  the  reason  being  that  the  Violins  “  may 
not  outcry  the  rest  of  the  musick ,  the  basses  especially .” 
Violers,  or  performers  on  the  Viol,  were  quite  numerous 
throughout  Britain  during  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth 
centuries,  and  even  formed  a  part  of  the  Royal  Household. 
They  wore  red  bonnets,  were  clothed  in  livery,  and  received 
a  small  gratuity.  The  terms  fiddle  and  fiddler ,  so  fre¬ 
quently  mentioned  by  some  of  the  early  authors,  sometimes 
certainly  refer  to  the  Viol  and  Violer  as  well  as  to  the 
Violin  and  Violinist,  as  those  words  have  been,  by  many 
ancient  historians  and  poets,  used  without  any  due  regard 
to  proper  distinction.  The  Viol  was  in  universal  use 
throughout  Scotland  in  the  seventeenth  century ;  but  at 
this  period  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  Violin  was  un¬ 
known,  as  frequent  reference  is  made  to  it  several  centuries 
earlier.  From  ancient  documents  we  learn  that  four  Violers 
played  at  the  Cross  in  Edinburgh  on  the  day  of  the  Corona¬ 
tion  of  Charles  II.,  1660  ;  and  many  more  quotations  might 
be  c-ited,  verifying  the  common  use  of  the  Viol  in  Edinburgh 
and  other  Scottish  towns.  In  concluding  the  few  preceding 
remarks  upon  the  Viol,  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  here 
to  include,  also,  a  species  of  Viol  which  ranked  as  a  par¬ 
ticular  favorite  throughout  Britain,  about  the  commence- 


IO 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT . 


men!  of  the  eightheenth  century,  and  which  was  known 
under  the  name  of  the  Viol  d’Amour.  It  was  a  delicate 
and  sweet-toned  instrument,  and  had  five  strings  formed  of 
wire,  although  latterly  a  good  many  modifications  in  the 
form  of  the  instrument  took  place.  It  appears,  also,  to  have 
erroneously  passed  under  the  name  of  the  Psalter,  to  which  it 
certainly  bore  no  resemblance,  and  was  publicly  used  in  Lon¬ 
don  about  1720  ;  and  in  Edinburgh,  mention  is  made  of  it  in 
1750.  In  1752,  Passerini,  a  teacher  of  music  in  Edinburgh, 
is  mentioned  as  having  been  an  excellent  player  upon  the 
Viol  d’Amour  ;  and  a  few  years  later,  another  Italian  per¬ 
former,  Pasquali,  gave  a  concert,  in  which  this  instrument 
took  a  prominent  position.  About  1800  it  was  almost  dis¬ 
used,  as  there  is  but  little  reference  made  to  it  in  public 
concerts  after  this  time,  neither  is  there  mention  made  of 
any  celebrated  performer. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  most  perfect  instrument  of  all,  and 
which  has  aptly  been  denominated  “  the  king  of  instru¬ 
ments  ”  —  the  Violin.  At  what  time  this  elegant  instru¬ 
ment  came  first  into  use,  or  emerged  from  the  workshop, 
it  is  impossible  to  mention ;  but  it  must  be  universally 
admitted  that  to  Italy  it  derives  its  progress,  about  the 
middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  although  it  is  to  India  we 
must  look  for  not  only  the  origin  of  the  Violin,  but  for  being 
the  birth-place  of  all  the  arts  and  sciences.  Long  anterior 
to  the  days  of  the  +amous  Greek  architect  Archimedes,  did 
the  ancient  Brahmans  discover  hydrostatics  and  the  proper¬ 
ties  attribiited  to  the  Grecian,  viz.,  that  every  body  plunged 
in  water  loses  of  its  own  weight  a  weight  equal  to  the  voL 
ume  displaced.  They  also  calculated  the  velocity  of  light, 
and  from  the  writings  of  Surya  —  Sidhartha  —  we  learn  they 
knew  and  calculated  the  force  of  steam.  They  formed  the 
most  marvellous  language  in  the  world,  —  the  Sanscrit,  — • 
from  which  the  greater  part  of  the  idioms  of  the  Orient, 
and  Indo-European  countries  are  derived.  They  invented 
the  gamut  with  its  difference  of  tones  and  semitones  long 
before  Gui  d’Arezzo.  The  Llindu  scale  runs  thus:  —  Sa , 
7?/,  GG,  Ma,  Pa ,  Da ,  A7,  Sa. 

Let  the  truthful,  unbiassed,  and  earnest  student  search  where 
he  may  through  the  archives  of  history,  and  he  will  find 
that  there  is  not  a  fragment  of  modern  philosophy,  whether 
Newtonian,  Cartesian,  Huxleyian,  or  any  other,  but  what 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


1 1 


has  been  dug  from  the  Oriental  mines.  There  are  strange 
analogies  in  Nature  which  modern  scientists  despise  to 
recognize.  The  Rosicrucian  theory,  that  the  whole  uni¬ 
verse  is  a  musical  instrument,  which  is  the  Pythagorean 
doctrine  of  the  Music  of  the  Spheres,  may  be  not  so  foolish 
after  all,  for  sounds  and  colors  are  spiritual  numerals  ;  and 
as  the  seven  prismatic  rays  proceed  from  one  spot  in  heaven, 
so  the  seven  powers  of  Nature,  each  a  number,  are  the 
seven  radiations  of  the  Unity,  the  Central  Sun  of  all.  In 
the  god  Pleptaktis  —  so  hideously  and  malevolently  mis¬ 
represented  by  our  ignorant  missionaries  —  the  seven  rays 
of  *he  Solar  Spectrum  are  represented  concretely.  The 
Seven  epitomized  into  Three  primary  rays,  viz.,  Red, 
Blue,  and  Yellow,  form  the  Solar  Trinity,  typifying  respec¬ 
tively  Spirit,  Matter,  and  Spirit-Essence.  Science  of  late 
has  reduced  the  seven  rays  to  three  primary  ones,  and  thus 
corroborates  the  scientific  conception  of  the  ancients  of  at 
least  one  of  the  visible  manifestations  of  the  invisible  Deity, 
and  the  seven  divided  into  a  quaternary  and  a  trinity.  The 
seventh  ray  of  the  prismatic  spectrum  —  the  blue-violet 
—  which  is  the  most  powerfully  chemical  and  magnetic 
of  all,  corresponds  with  the  highest  note  in  the  musical 
scale,  and  like  this  scale  the  chemical  rays  increase  in 
power  as  you  ascend  the  spectrum  from  the  red  to  the 
violet. 

Experiments  made  by  that  delicate  acoustic  re-agent,  the 
sensitive  flame,  prove  the  analogy  between  the  same  notes 
of  a  gamut  and  the  sympathy  among  individual  colors  in 
the  spectrum.  An  incandescent  body  that  produces  a  par¬ 
ticular  bright  band  in  the  rear  of  the  spectrum,  will,  when 
in  a  gaseous  state,  absorb  light  and  cause  a  dark  band  in 
exactly  the  same  part  of  the  scale.  As  all  the  complex 
music  of  an  orchestra  is  the  result  of  a  few  simple  notes 
variously  combined,  so  all  the  tints  of  a  picture  are  the 
results  of  a  few  simple  colors  varied.  The  musical  scale 
asserts  the  complex  notes  in  one  case^  the  spectrum  asserts 
the  complex  colors  in  the  other.  It  we  express  the  wave¬ 
lengths  of  the  notes  by  relative  measurements,  adopting  List¬ 
ing’s  determinations  of  wave-lengths,  and  take  C  as  ioo,  then 
all  the  other  notes  have  this  wave-lengths  expressed  in  per 
centages.  Similarly,  Red  is  taken  at  ioo,  and  the  wave¬ 
lengths  of  other  colors  are  expressed  in  per  centages.  Upon 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


I  2 


comparison,  D  and  Orange  are  each  89  ;  E  and  Yellow,  80  ; 
F  and  Green,  75  ;  G  and  the  average  of  the  Blues,  67  ;  A  and 
Violet,  6c  ;  B  and  Ultra-Violet,  53  ;  C  and  the  obscure  rays 
(Black),  54.  «  Further,  the  comparison  of  harmonies  comes 
out  in  an  interesting  manner.  Low  C  and  upper  C  sound 
well  together,  so  Red  and  Black  go  well  together.  Red  and 
Green,  and  C  and  F  harmonize  well ;  but  Red  and  Orange 
no  lady  would  wear,  and  C  and  D  make  a  combination  by 
no  means  pleasant.  Red  and  Blue,  or  C  and  G,  also  go 
well  together. 

Sounds  which  harmonize  to  the  ear  produce  regular 
acoustic  figures  to  the  eye  ;  as,  for  example,  segments  of 
the  circle,  ellipses,  ovals,  circles,  or  straight  lines ;  but  if 
the  sounds  do  not  harmonize,  the  figures  are  confused,  un¬ 
steady,  and  complicated,  presenting  an  appearance  as  if  the 
wave-lines  were  contending  with  each  other.  Again, 
mathematically  speaking,  the  relations  of  musical  notes  are, 
that  regular  simple  forms  being  produced  by  combinations 
of  these  notes  which  result  from  vibrations  bearing  a  differ¬ 
ent  ratio  to  each  other,  while  irregular  and  unsteady  figures 
are  caused  by  notes  which  have  no  such  ratios.  The  pri¬ 
mary  colors  are  Red,  Yellow,  and  Blue,  corresponding  to  the 
primary  sounds  C,  E,  G.  Every  two  produce  a  color,  and 
the  three  produce  white,  making  Seven  as  in  the  dia¬ 
tonic  scale  ;  and  as  white  light  may  be  decomposed  into 
three  colors,  so  every  sound  is  a  component  of  three 
tones. 

There  are  deep,  then,  within  the  affinities  of  Nature, 
singular  and  mysterious  alliances  between  color  and  sound  : 
for  there  are  Seven  pure  tones  in  the  diatonic  scale,  because 
the  harmonic  octave  is  on  the  margin,  or  border,  or  rhyth¬ 
mic  point  of  the  first  and  seventh,  like  the  chemical  dark 
rays  on  the  margin  of  the  solar  spectrum.  Red  is  the  deep 
bass  or  slowest  vibration  of  ether,  whilst  violet  or  purple  is 
the  high  treble  vibration  like  the  upper  C  in  music.  Dur¬ 
ing  spring-time,  as  photographers  well  know,  we  have  this 
ray  most  in  abundance,  and  under  this  ray  both  animal  and 
vegetable  life  manifest  an  inordinate  development.  Musi¬ 
cal  tones  even  have  a  wonderful  effect  upon  the  growth  of 
vegetation.  It  may  be  herein  observed,  that  to  the  real  and 
profound  student  of  Nature  the  allegory  of  the  seven-rayed 
rainbow  to  Noah  has  a  rather  deeper  meaning  than  that  so 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


r3 


generally  and  childishly  believed  in,  viz.,  to  refresh  the 
memory  of  the  Jewish  Jehovah  with  the  Patriarch  and 
people. 

Another  strange  44  freak  of  Nature”  is  this  :  In  Southern 
California  there  are  certain  places  on  the  sea-shore  where 
the  sand,  on  being  disturbed,  produces  a  loud  musical  ring. 
This  is  known  as  the  4 4  Musical  Sand.”  The  Editor  of 
Marco  Polo’s  travels  thus  observes  :  —  44  The  sound  of  mu¬ 
sical  instruments,  chiefly  of  drums,  is  a  phenomenon  of 
another  class,  and  is  really  produced  in  certain  situations 
among  sandhills  when  the  sand  is  disturbed.”  From  Re- 
musat’s  44  Histoire  du  Khotan  ”  I  quote  the  following:  — 
“A  very  striking  account  of  a  phenomenon  of  this  kind, 
regarded  as  supernatural,  is  given  by  Friar  Odoric,  whose 
experience  I  have  traced  to  the  Reg  Ruwan,  or  flowing 
sand,  north  of  Kabul.  Besides  this  celebrated  example,  I 
have  noted  that  equally  well-known  one  of  the  Jibal  Nakics, 
or  4  Hill  of  the  Bell,’  in  the  Sinai  desert;  Gibal-ul-Thabul, 
or  4  Hill  of  the  Drums.’  A  Chinese  narrator  of  the  tenth 
century  mentions  the  phenomenon  as  known  near  Kwachau, 
on  the  eastern  border  of  the  Fop  desert,  under  the  name  of 
4  Singing  Sands.’  ” 

o  o 

But  not  to  digress  further,  by  a  comparison  between  the 
instruments  now  in  use  in  India  and  those  played  upon  by 
the  ancient  Europeans,  it  can  be  easily  demonstrated  that 
the  Indo-Celtic  races  must  have  transported  the  original 
models  Westward  from  the  East.  The  different  sizes  of 
this  type,  Violin,  Viola,  Violoncello,  and  Double  Bass, 
have  supplanted  the  whole  host  of  Viols,  whilst,  from  an 
identity  of  form,  along  with  perfect  intonation,  a  simi¬ 
larity  of  quality  has  been  attained  which  renders  this  class  of 
instruments  to  approximate  closer  to  the  human  voice  than 
any  other.  This  excellency  in  the  Violin  arises  chiefly  from 
its  power,  quality,  and  flexibility,  due  chiefly  to  its  outline, 
material,  and  proportions,  greater  thickness,  with  smaller 
number  and  increased  tension  of  the  strings,  as  well  as  to 
the  improved  form  and  greater  strength  of  the  bow  used 
with  the  instrument.  Rude  approximations  to  the  Violin 
are  to  be  found  decorating  monumental  tablets  and  illumi¬ 
nated  manuscripts  throughout  Britain  and  the  Continent  at 
an  early  date,  but  those  illustrations  chiefly  represent  the 
Rebec  with  one,  tw*o,  and  three  strings,  although  some 


14  THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


representations  certainly  possess  a  close  analogy  of  parts, 
as  incurvatures  of  sides,  bridge,  tail-piece,  finger-board,  and 
extended  hand.  The  earliest  representation  known  of  any 
instrument  truly  approximating  to  the  Fiddle  or  Violin,  is 
contained  in  the  “  L)e  Cantu  et  Musica  Sacra  ”  of  the  Abbot 
Gerbert,  and  is  assigned  to  the  eighth  century.  In  this  figure 
the  instrument  has  but  one  string,  but  possesses  a  bridge  and 
tail-piece,  two  sound-holes,  and  something  like  a  finger¬ 
board,  whilst  a  bow  rests  on  the  string,  and  a  portion  of 
the  right  hand  shows  that  it  was  held  as  the  Violin. 

A  somewhat  similar  instrument,  having  four  strings, 
with  two  circular  sounding-holes  near  the  top,  illustrates  an 
ancient  illuminated  manuscript — “Liber  Psalmorum  ” — 
assigned  to  the  Anglo-Saxons  of  the  tenth  century.  This 
illustration  represents  David  with  a  harp  upon  his  knee,  a 
dove  descending,  around  which  are  inscribed  the  words, 
“  Spiritus  Sanctus,”  whilst  upon  each  side  is  a  figure  ;  one 
an  ancient  juggler  performing  a  favorite  feat  of  tossing  up 
knives,  while  the  other  is  playing  upon  this  rudimentary 
Violin.  In  “  Strutt’s  Sports  and  Pastimes”  is  to  be  found 
a  somewhat  similar  illustration.  Another  illustration  graces 
the  cover  of  an  ancient  Scriptural  manuscript  known  as  St. 
Jerome’s  Bible,  formed  of  the  finest  vellum,  not  to  be  pro¬ 
cured  at  the  present  day.  Certain  stains  partially  deface 
it,  which  are  ascribed  to  the  aspersion  of  the  Holy,  or  Con¬ 
secrated  Oil,  used  in  the  ceremonies  pertaining  to  the 
Church.  This  picture  contains  three  figures,  the  centre 
one  being  an  acrobat,  standing  head  downwards  —  one 
upon  the  left  is  represented  as  playing  upon  a  two-stringed 
Fiddle  or  Rebec  ;  the  other  figure,  upon  the  right,  appears 
to  be  performing  on  a  Tambourine.  This  copy  is  ascribed 
to  the  thirteenth  century  and  is  supposed  to  have  originally 
belonged  to  the  Abbey  of  Dunfermline.  Amongst  the  orna¬ 
mental  bas-reliefs  upon  the  Abbey  of  Melrose,  there  is  a 
representation  of  an  instrument  supposed  by  some  to  be  of 
the  true  Violin  type,  by  others,  the  Crwth.  This  venerable 
structure  was  the  work  of  a  Parisian  architect,  and  was 
founded  in  1136.  Dauney  in  his  work,  “Ancient  Scot¬ 
tish  Melodies,”  concludes  that  no  such  instruments  as  the 
Violin  prevailed  in  Scotland  about  this  time,  as  Giraldus 
Cambrensis,  who  wrote  in  1187,  only  speaks  of  the  Harp, 
the  Tabour,  and  the  Bagpipe,  in  use ‘amongst  the  Scots, 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


15 


but  from  other  sources,  we  are  inclined  to  think  different 
• —  but  this  is  a  matter  more  suitable  to  the  researches  of  the 
antiquarian,  than  to  the  general  reading  of  the  Violin 
amateur. 

Many  other  ancient  representations  of  the  Violin  species 
might  be  enumerated,  of  which  the  following  must  suffice  for 
the  present  : — Upon  one  of  the  stained  glass  windows  of 
Dronfield  Church,  Derbyshire  ;  of  Staple  Church,  Kent ;  St. 
Denis,  near  Paris  ;  also  upon  the  carved  seats  of  the  choir 
in  Worcester  Cathedral  ;  in  the  Musurgia  of  Lucinius ;  on 
the  fa5ade  of  Amiens  Cathedral  ;  —  all  the  foregoing  being 
ascribed  to  a  pretty  early  period.  As  previously  remarked, 
the  term  “  Fiddler  ”  cannot  be  accepted  to  signify  “Vio¬ 
linist  ”  at  all  times,  although  it  was  evidently  used  by  many 
ancient  writers  to  designate  a  player  on  the  Violin  ;  yet  in 
numerous  cases,  where  early  mention  is  made  of  the  word, 
it  is  impossible  that  it  can  be  classed  as  Violinist.  The 
term  Vidulator,  for  Fiddler  ;  Violer,  or  player  on  the  Viol ; 
Crowder,  or  Crouther,  all  appear  in  a  single  document  of 
the  year  1306.  In  the  Song  of  the  Nibelungen,  which  is 
considered  the  most  ancient  of  all  the  Teutonic  poetical, 
ronrances  which  have  been  preserved  entire,  we  find  the 
following :  — 

“  Folker  knight  of  courage,  bold  by  his  side  sat  he; 

A  sharp  and  mighty  fiddle-stick  held  the  hero  free ;  ” 

again, 

“  Raging  like  a  savage  bear;  a  fiddler  mad  is  he  ; 

Praised  be  my  luck  that  from  the  fiend  safely  I  could  flee*  — 

where  thus  the  fiddle-stick  is  made  to  represent  the  sword 
of  the  warrior.  This  poem  is  ascribed  to  the  eleventh  cen¬ 
tury  ;  and  again,  in  the  following  century,  in  the  life  of  St. 
Christopher,  mention  is  made  of  “ the  fithele  and  of  song.” 
Fiddlers  also  formed  a  part  of  the  Royal  Household  in  the 
fifteenth  century,  —  their  number  about  this  time  having 
been  limited  to  three,  and  in  the  same  century  mention  is 
made  of  several  throughout  Scotland,  as  “  the  jidelar  of 
Dunbar,”  “  the  brokin-bakkit  Jithelar  in  Sanct  Androws,” 
whilst  at  the  commencement  of  the  following  century  every 
Scottish  town  possessed  a  “ Jithelar ,”  as  various  ancient 
documents  testify. 


1 6 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


In  1505  a  “  hielan  Jithelar  ”  is  spoken  of  as  having 
received  gratuities  in  Perth.  The  Violin  appears  to 
have  been  one  of  the  many  instruments  used  about  this 
time  in  accompanying  the  marriage-guests  to  the  church, 
as  from  a  work  in  1543,  we  read,  “  Such  folks  also  do 
come  to  the  church  with  all  manner  of  pompe  and  pride, 
gorgiousness  of  rayment  and  jewels.  They  come  with  a 
great  noise  of  harpes,  lutes,  kyttes ,  basens  and  drommes, 
wherwyth  they  trouble  the  whole  church,”  etc.  Upon  the 
return  of  Queen  Mary  to  Scotland  in  1560,  Violins  and 
Rebecs  were  used  in  Edinburgh  to  celebrate  her  arrival ; 
and  in  the  following  year  we  have  mention  of  Violins  being 
used  to  accompany  the  plays  in  the  Court  of  Queen  Eliza¬ 
beth,  and  a  few  years  later  a  Violin  is  described  belonging 
to  this  Queen,  with  a  hole  cut  through  the  hand  for  admit¬ 
ting  the  thumb  of  the  player.  In  a  rare  tract,  written  dur¬ 
ing  the  reign  of  this  sovereign,  the  author,  referring  to  the 
ancient  Morris-dancers,  observes.  “  Footing  the  Morris 
about  the  May-pole,  and  he  not  hearing  the  minstrelsie  for 
the  Jidling ,  the  tune  for  the  sound,  nor  the  pipe  for  the 
noise  of  the  tabor,  bluntly  demanded  if  they  were  not  all 
beside  themselves,  that  they  so  lip’d  and  skip’d  without 
any  occasion,”  from  which  it  may  be  presumed  that  the 
“  fiddlers  ”  in  those  ancient  times  sometimes  combined  to 
render  their  playing  a  work  of  “  strength.” 

In  the  records  of  Orkney  is  a  passage  referring  to  the 
execution  of  a  murderer  in  1616,  who  had  killed  “  ane, 
David  Sandie,  jidler,  with  ane  durk;”  and  about  this 
time  the  Violin  was  also  well  known  in  the  Shetland 
Islands.  From  a  quaint  author  in  1634,  we  cite  the  fol¬ 
lowing  referring  to  country  wakes: — “They  hate  the 
laurell,  which  is  the  reason  they  have  no  poets  amongst 
them,  so  as  if  there  be  any  that  seeme  to  have  a  smatch  in 
that  generous  science,  he  arrives  no  higher  than  the  style  of 
a  ballet,  wherein  they  have  a  reasonable  facultie,  especially  at 
a  wake,  when  they  assemble  themselves  together  at  a  towne 
greene,  for  then  they  sing  their  ballets  and  lay  out  such 
throats  as  the  country  jidlers  cannot  be  heard.”  A  con¬ 
temporary  author  relates  the  following  on  marriage-feasts  : 

—  “  Some  cannot  be  merrie  without  the  noise  of  Jlddlcrs , 
who  scrape  acquaintance  at  the  first  sight ;  nor  sing,  unless 
the  divell  himself  come  in  for  a  part,”  etc.  And  from  another 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


[7 

author, about  the  same  date,  we  learn  the  following  :  —  “Next 
morning  come  the  jidlers ,  and  scrape  him  a  wicked  reveib 
lez.  The  drums  rattle,  the  shaumers  tote,  the  trumpets 
sound  ton  ta  ra,  ra,  ra,  and  the  whole  street  rings  with  the 
benedictions  and  good  wishes  of  jidlers ,  pipers,  and  trum- 
petters.” 

Shirley,  in  his  Lady  of  Pleasure,  written  about  1635, 
makes  one  of  the  characters  say  :  — 

“  The  case  is  alter’d  since  we  lived  i’  the  country; 

We  do  not  now  invite  the  poor  o’  the  parish 
To  dinner,  keep  a  table  for  the  tenants; 

Our  kitchen  does  not  smell  of  beef;  the  cellar 
Defies  the  price  of  malt  and  hops;  the  footmen 
And  coach-drivers  may  be  drunk,  like  gentlemen, 

With  wine  ;  nor  will  three  Fiddlers  upon  holidays, 

With  aid  of  bagpipes,  that  called  in  the  country 
To  dance  and  plough  the  hall  up  with  their  hobnails, 

Now  make  my  lady  merry.” 

The  Violin  about  this  time  was  used  as  a  military  musical 
instrument  in  France,  Spain,  and  several  other  parts  of  the 
Continent,  as  well  as  in  Britain.  In  the  Memoirs  of  Count 
Grammont,  a  description  is  given  of  the  siege  of  Lerida  in 
1647,  by  the  Prince  de  Conde,  who  “  ordered  the  trenches 
to  be  mounted  at  noonday  by  his  own  regiment,  at  the  head 
of  which  marched  four  and  twenty  Fiddlers.  Night 
approaching,  we  were  all  in  high  spirits,  our  Violins  were 
playing  soft  airs,  and  we  were  comfortably  regaling  our¬ 
selves,”  he  thus  pleasantly  goes  on  ;  whilst  in  the  British 
army  there  was  also  a  complement  of  Violinists,  and  who 
at  this  time  were  spoken  of  as  being  anything  but  a  “  tee¬ 
total  society.”  Twenty-four  was  the  number  employed  in 
the  royal  household  of  King  Charles  II.,  as  wrell  as  in  that 
of  Henry  IV.  of  France.  In  a  letter  of  King  Charles  to 
his  aunt,  the  Queen  of  Bohemia,  written  at  Cologne,  he 
complains  of  “  the  want  of  good  Fiddlers ,  and  of  some 
capable  of  teaching  new  dances”;  and  this  sovereign, 
adopting  the  French  fashion,  “  would  have  twenty -four 
Violins  playing  before  him  while  he  was  at  meals,  as  being 
more  airie  and  brisk  than  Viols.”  In  France,  almost  every 
one  of  the  wealthier  classes  had  Violinists  attached  to  their 
household,  and  from  an  authoress  who  wrote  about  this 
time,  we  learn  the  following  particulars  relative  to  King 
Charles:  —  “At  his  second  visit,  he  begged  of  me  to  let 


1 8  THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


him  hear  my  band  of  Violinists  which  was  reckoned  par¬ 
ticularly  good.”  The  Violin  about  this  period  must  have  been 
quite  common  throughout  Britain,  as  even  toy  Fiddles 
formed  a  part  of  the  wares  disposed  of  in  the  fairs,  as  in  a 
pamphlet  dated  1641,  the  author,  after  describing  several 
of  the  characters,  states,  “Amongst  these,  you  shall  see  a 
gray  goose-cap  (as  wise  as  the  rest)  with  a  4  what  do  ye 
lacke  ’  in  his  mouth,  stand  in  his  boothe,  shaking  a  rattle, 
or  scraping  071  a  Fiddle ,  with  which  children  are  so  taken, 
that  they  presentlie  cry  out  for  these  fopperies.”  We  also  find 
about  this  period  a  letter  from  Lord  Lothian  to  Lord  Ancrum, 
whilst  with  the  Scottish  army  at  Newark,  in  1641,  which 
contains  the  following  :  —  44  I  cannot  out  of  manie  furnish 
you  with  a  sober  Fidler .  There  is  a  fellow  here  plays 
exceeding  well,  but  he  is  intollerably  given  to  drink.” 
The  few  following  remarks  from  the  amusing  Pepys,  relative 
to  the  coronation  day,  may  prove  somewhat  interesting  :  — 
44  A  great  pleasure  it  was  to  see  the  Abbey  raised  in  the 
middle,  all  covered  with  red,  and  a  throne  (that  is  a  chair) 
and  footstool  on  the  top  of  it,  and  all  the  officers  of  all 
kinds,  so  much  as  the  very  Fiddlers ,  in  red  vests.  ...  I 
took  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  to  go  up  and  down,  and  look 
upon  the  ladies,  and  to  hear  the  music  of  all  sorts,  but  above 
all,  the  tw e?ity -four  Violins.”  And  in  reference  to  the 
improvements  of  the  stage  a  few  years  later,  1666,  the  same 
author  observes,  44  Now  wax  candles  and  many  of  them  ; 
then  not  above  three  lbs.  of  tallow  ;  now  all  things  civil,  no 
rudeness  anywhere  ;  then  as  in  a  bear-garden  ;  then  two  or 
three  fiddlers ,  now  nine  or  tc7t  of  the  best ;  then  nothing 
but  rushes  upon  the  ground,  and  everything  else  mean,  now 
all  otherwise.  4  Hermitt  Poore  ’  and  4  Chevy  Chase  ’  was 
all  the  music  we  had  ;  and  yet  no  ordinary  Fiddlers  get  so 
much  money  as  ours  do  here,  which  speaks  our  rudeness 
still.  That  he  hath  gathered  our  Italians  from  several 
courts  in  Christendom,  to  come  to  make  a  concert  for  the 
King,  which  he  do  give  £  200  a-year  a  piece  to.”  Amongst 
the  common  customs  prevalent  previous  to,  and  during  the 
reign  of  this  merry  monarch,  may  be  mentioned  the  follow¬ 
ing  one  from  an  author  in  1659,  where,  speaking  of 
taverns,  he  says,  44  Your  L.  wi  1  not  believe  me  that  the 
ladies  of  the  greatest  quality  suffer  themselves  to  be  treated 
in  one  of  these  taverns,  but  you  will  be  more  astonisht  when 


TIIE  VIOLIN:  MOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


I  assure  you  that  they  drink  their  crowned  cups  roundly, 
strain  healths  through  their  smocks,  dance  after  the  Fiddle , 
kiss  freely,  and  term  it  an  honorable  treat;”  and  amongst 
the  numerous  odd  devices  used  on  tavern  signboards,  the 
Violin  formed  one,  as  in  a  work  in  1665,  treating  of  “  fanatic 
reformers,”  the  author  observes,  1,4  Such  ridiculous  work 
they  make  of  their  reformation,  and  so  zealous  are  they 
against  all  mirth  and  jollity,  as  they  would  pluck  down  the 
sign  of  the  Cat  and  Fiddle  too,  if  it  durst  but  play  so 
loud  as  they  must  hear  it.”  The  art  of  playing  by  the  different 
shifts  appears  to  have  been  introduced  into  Britain  during 
the  reign  of  this  sovereign,  by  Thomas  Baltzar,  a  native  of 
Lubeck,  and  leader  of  the  Royal  band  of  Violinists,  whose 
performances  are  graphically  depicted  in  the  amusing  works 
of  Anthony  Wood. 

We  may  now  consider  the  Violin  as  a  standard  and  com¬ 
mon  instrument  throughout  Britain  about  this  period  ;  and 
a  few  years  afterwards,  mention  is  made  of  it  as  being  used 
in  the  H  igh lands  of  Scotland  at  the  lyke- wakes,  where  a 
melancholy  ball,  attended  with  dancing  and  greeting,  pre¬ 
ceded  the  wails  and  ejaculations  of  the  mourning-women  in 
attendance.  About  the  commencement  of  the  following  cen¬ 
tury,  the  supreme  merits  of  the  Cremona  Violin  were  ap¬ 
preciated  in  our  Northern  metropolis,  for  in  170S  mention 
is  made  of  ^  two  Cremona  Violi?is ,  along  with  a  parcel  of 
fine  music  books,”  to  be  sold.  Pasquali,  who  arrived  here 
in  1752,  had  u  some  Cremona'1'’  and  other  Violins  for  sale, 
and  about  the  same  period  several  other  Cremo?ias  were 
advertised  for  sale  in  the  same  city.  Numerous  have  been 
the  various  so-called  improvements  in  the  Violin  by  some 
of  our  modern  makers  and  repairers,  but  in  reality  few  of 
them  are  of  any  essential  importance,  as  assuredly  no  artist 
by  means  of  any  different  proportions  or  combination  of 
parts  dissimilar  to  those  used  by  the  chief  Cremona 
makers,  has  reached  anything  like  the  same  perfection. 
Doubtless  Violins  have  been  made  closely  approximating 
in  character  to  our  Cremonas,  but  those  have  been  formed 
upon  a  similar  system,  without  any  extra  additions  or  pecu¬ 
liar  chansres  of  construction.  A  few  of  those  fantastic  and 
diversified  changes  may  be  herein  enumerated. 

The  first,  and  perhaps  the  most  ridiculous  of  all,  is  the 
following,  as  related  of  J.  J.  Hawkins,  the  inventor  of  the 


30 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOIV  TO  MAKE  IT. 


Claviol,  or  Keyed  Violin.  In  1800  this  gentleman  patented 
an  invention  applicable  to  pianofortes  and  other  stringed 
instruments,  including  the  Violin,  whereby  the  belly  of  the 
Violin  was  exposed  on  both  sides,  the  instrument  having 
no  back,  but  a  firm  wooden  rib  or  bar  placed  under  the 
breast,  and  a  spring  underneath  the  sound-post,  for  the 
purpose  of  resisting  the  tension  of  the  strings.  Such 
was  the  enthusiasm  of  the  inventor,  that  he  actually 
carried  this  process  into  execution  upon  a  Stradivarius 
Violin,  by  removing  the  back  and  substituting  the  forego¬ 
ing  contrivances,  and  with  what  result  may  be  easily  imag¬ 
ined,  as  the  instrument  was  rendered  utterly  worthless  so 
far  as  quality  of  tone  was  concerned,  although  the  mere 
loudness  was  little  diminished.  In  17S8,  C.  Claggat  patents 
an  invention,  whereby  the  tail-piece  of  the  Violin  may  be 
brought  to  any  desired  angle,  and  as  a  consequence,  a  di¬ 
minished  pressure  on  the  breast  of  the  instrument  may  be 
produced,  with  greater  facility  of  fixing  and  altering  the 
sound-post.  Another  invention  for  keeping  the  strings  of 
the  Violin  and  other  musical  instruments  always  in  tune, 
was  patented  during  the  same  year  by  Peter  Litherland  ; 
whilst  an  invention  for  a  somewhat  analogous  purpose  was 
patented  by  Jubb  in  1S05. 

Perhaps  the  strangest  of  English  bow-instruments  was 
that  of  Mr.  Edwards,  announced  in  1823  as  the  “  Semi- 
Lujici,  and  yielding  a  fine  tone  without  the  aid  of  wind  or 
strings.”  Nothing  could  scarcely  have  been  more  simple. 
A  number  of  short  iron  pins,  or  stout  wires,  are  set  on  the 
edge  of  a  half  moon,  or  curve,  which  curve  forms  the  exte¬ 
rior  of  the  half  transverse  section  of  a  hollow  cylinder,  to 
which  a  bow  is  applied  which  produced  a  feeble  tone  from 
each. 

In  1835,  T.  Howell  claims  certain  improvements  in  the 
construction  of  the  Violin,  Violoncello,  and  Double-Bass, 
by  increasing  the  length  of  the  neck  for  greater  facility  of 
fingering,  whilst  the  upper  ends  of  the  instrument  are  pro¬ 
portionally  shortened,  and  two  years  afterwards  an  inven¬ 
tion  is  patented  by  J.  F.  Grosjean.  consisting  in  the 
application  of  vitreous  or  crystallized  substances  to  the  sur¬ 
faces  of  stringed  instruments,  including  the  Violin.  In 
1852,  R.  H.  Brooman  patents  an  improvement  in  the 
Violin  and  other  similar  instruments  by  a  contrivance  for 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOIV  TO  MAKE  IT. 


2  I 


lengthening  or  shortening  the  strings,  by  a  double  finger¬ 
board  and  keys,  whilst  in  1854,  W.  E.  Newton  claims  an 
improvement  of  tone  in  the  Violin  by  the  insertion  of  a 
horn  or  trumpet  into  the  body  of  the  instrument ;  whilst  an 
invention  for  attaining  a  similar  efiect  is  claimed  by  G. 
Jacque  in  1856,  by  placing  a  box,  containing  a  number  of 
strings,  in  the  interior  of  the  Violin.  A  Violin,  in  which 
a  small  frame  is  inserted  between  the  back  and  breast, 
as  a  substitute  for  a  sound-post,  by  which  means  the  sound 
of  the  instrument  can  be  modified,  was  invented  and 
claimed  provisional  protection  in  1857,  by  De  Laphaleque, 
whilst  an  improvement  for  increasing  the  volume  and  rich¬ 
ness  of  tone,  by  grooving  the  back  and  breast,  was  patented 
in  1S5S  by  John  Robertson  ;  and  on  December  9,  H.  Bell 
has  a  specification  for  the  improvement  of  the  Violin,  by 
the  insertion  of  a  glass  elliptical  chamber  into  the  body  of 
the  instrument ;  and  a  modification  of  the  above  by  the 
same  gentleman  is  specified  in  1 866. 

About  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  a 
Violin-maker  in  the  south  of  Scotland  (Sinclair)  exhibited 
a  number  of  Violins,  or  rather  boxes,  of  his  own  produc¬ 
tion,  having  extraordinary  peculiarities  of  construction. 
Some  were  of  the  ordinary  size,  but  the  outline  almost  tri¬ 
angular,  others  of  smaller  dimensions ;  one  had  twelve 
vibrating  wires  stretched  across  it,  and  tuned  to  correspond 
to  the  tones  and  semitones  of  the  scale  ;  in  addition  to  the 
ordinary  strings  for  the  purpose  of  augmenting  the  tone  of 
the  bowed  strings  by  vibration,  whilst  another  had  two 
bridges,  one  being  so  much  higher  than  the  other  as  to 
allow  a  free  passage  for  the  bow  to  pass,  and  play  upon 
either  set  of  string's.  Other  fanciful  artists  have  doubled 

o 

each  string,  and  tuned  in  unison,  or  in  octaves,  purposing 
thereby  to  augment  and  enrich  the  tone. 

Another  Scottish  maker  a  few  years  later,  formed  an¬ 
other  fantastic  “  double-breasted  ”  instrument  with  com¬ 
mon  sides  and  two  necks,  separated  by  an  opening  for  the 
hand  of  the  player,  with  a  duplicate  set  of  strings,  but  hav¬ 
ing  only  a  single  enlarged  back  which  corresponded  with 
both  breasts,  somewhat  resembling  a  double  Violin.  This 
Violin,  as  might  be  expected,  produced  loudness  of  tone, 
consequent  from  its  increased  area  and  number  of  strings. 
An  eminent  Scottish  amateur  purchased  a  fine  Stradivarius 


22 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


Violin  for  one  hundred  guineas ,  but  considering  it  of  too 
large  a  pattern,  he  purposed  lessening  its  dimensions,  and, 
at  the  suggestion  of  the  celebrated  performer,  J.  P.  Salomon 
(who  died  in  iSicj),  he  practically  carried  out  this  experi¬ 
ment,  and  as  a  result,  the  instrument  was  irrecoverably 
injured,  and  was  sold  a  few  years  afterwards  for  fifty-six 
pounds ,  a  sum  which  was  given  perhaps  more  for  the  mere 
purpose  of  obtaining  a  Stradivarius,  than  from  the 
changed  and  deteriorated  quality  of  the  instrument. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THEORETICAL  PRINCIPLES  OF  CONSTRUCTION. 

In  the  Violin  the  theory  of  construction,  according  to 
acoustical  laws,  is  understood  in  a  less  degree  than  any 
other  musical  instrument.  In  a  purely  elementary  work 
like  the  present,  space  will  not  permit  of  entering  into  all 
the  scientific  details  which  have  been  at  various  times  set 
forth,  as  tending  to  clear  up  this  difficulty,  neither  would 
some  of  them  be  of  much  benefit ;  but  those  experiments  of 
a  leading  character,  and  which  are  now  known  to  be  of  the 
most  advantage,  those  alone  will  the  reader  find  the  most 
generally  useful.  To  susceptible  and  highly  cultivated  na¬ 
tures,  music  is  capable  of  awakening  every  emotion  of  the 
human  soul,  from  the  most  rapt  devotion  to  the  mildest 
exhilaration,  from  the  most  passionate  grief  to  the  excess  of 
mirthfulness.  The  opinions  upon  music  of  that  remark¬ 
able  Association  —  the  Rosicrucian  Brotherhood  —  defined 
in  such  obscure  language,  are,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  strange , 
but  perhaps  not  so  foolish  as  superficial  thinkers  may  im¬ 
agine.  The  following  are  a  few  fragments  culled  from  the 
philosophy  of  this  sect,  and  which  are  only  varied  modes 
of  expression  of  the  opinions  of  the  Kabalists,  Gnostics, 
Pythagoreans,  and  Platonists  :  — 

“  The  whole  world  is  a  musical  instrument,  a  chromatic, 
sensible  instrument ;  life  a  chromatic  and  diatonic  scale  of 
musical  tones.  The  axis  or  pole  of  the  celestial  world  is 
intersected  by  the  spiritual  Sun,  or  centre  of  sentient  being, 
and  from  thence  stream  forth  rays  of  light,  which,  divided. 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


form  color,  which,  by  motion,  give  off  tones  of  music, 
filling  the  universe  with  celestial  sound.  Every  man  has  a 
spark,  or  microcosmic  sun  in  his  own  being,  and  thus 
microcosmically  diffuses  rays  of  light,  and  tones,  broken 
by  the  incoherencies  of  matter,  ’tis  true,  but  still,  in  essence, 
musical  tones.  Earthly  music  is  the  faintest  tradition  of  the 
angelic  state.  It  remains  in  the  mind  of  man  as  the  dream 
of  a  lost  Paradise. 

“Music  is  yet  master  of  man’s  emotions,  and  therefore 
of  man.  Heavenly  music  is  produced  from  impact  upon 
the  paths  of  planets,  which  stand  as  chords  or  strings  to  the 
rays  of  the  Sun  ;  hence,  light  and  heat,  travelling  between 
solar  centres  and  circumferences,  waken  tones,  notes, 
chords,  the  sum  of  which  is  ethereal  music.  .  .  .  Thus 

is  earthly  music  a  relic,  a  dream,  a  memory  of  heaven, 
an  efflux  from  the  motion  of  planetary  bodies,  a  celestial 
speech,  whose  dim  echoes  are  heard  and  imitated  on  earth, 
and  thus  are  light  and  tone,  colors  and  music,  inextricably 
combined  by  one  producing  cause.” 

Now,  all  this  unusual  speculation,  contradictory  to  com¬ 
mon  sense  as  it  may  appear,  may  be  nevertheless  true  when 
we  examine  it  carefully,  and,  as  it  were,  dive  deep  into  our 
own  soul-depths,  with  the  wondering  effort,  if  possible,  to 
find  it,  suspecting  that  there  may  be  something  after  all  in 
these  views,  and  in  the  re-iteration  of  a  relic  of  a  Paradisai¬ 
cal  and  possibly  lost  music,  lost  at  least  to  us.  As  Profes¬ 
sor  Leslie  well  observes:  —  “The  doctrine  of  sound  is 
unquestionably  the  most  subtle  and  abstruse  in  the  whole 
range  of  physical  science  ;  ”  indeed,  so  much  so,  that  we 
might  almost  expect  to  find  it  classed  under  the  “  Occult 
Sciences,”  instead  of  in  the  rank  assigned  it  among  the 
secondary  mechanical  sciences;  but  the  vast  and  illimitable 
Universe  itself  is  based  upon  principles  of  harmony,  for  — 

There’s  not  the  smallest  orb  that  thou  behold’st, 

But  in  his  motion  like  an  angel  sings. 

Still  quiring  to  the  young-eyed  cherubim  ; 

Such  harmony  is  in  immortal  sounds ! 

But  whilst  this  muddy  vesture  of  decay 
Doth  grossly  close  us  in,  we  cannot  hear  it. 

One  of  the  chief  requisites  in  Violin-making  is  to  have 
in  our  mind  a  theory  of  what  we  are  about,  of  the  accord- 


24 


THE  VIOLIN:  IIOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


ance  of  action  with  design.  Other  makers  who  achieved 
results  that  we  value  sought  out  the  method  by  asking  of 
Nature  how  she  linked  cause  and  effect ;  they  approached 
seeking  to  know,  with  open  eyes  and  open  mind,  and  by 
thinking  of  the  “why  and  wherefore”  of  the  phenomena 
presented  them  in  many  and  multiform  variety  of  changes 
they  became  masters  of  the  open  secret  of  Nature.  The 
pathway  is  open  to  others  as  to  them  —  as  the  fine  fancy  of 
the  old  Greek  religion  symbolized  it  —  that  Nature  demands 
us  to  go  barefooted  to  her  Temple,  not  in  other  men’s  shoes. 
We  must  think  and  make  experiments  to  verify  the  truth 
of  our  thinking,  and  then  found  other  thinkings  upon  the 
connection  of  our  observations  upon  the  experimentings. 
What  if  we  go  seventy  times  wrong,  if  once  we  gain  the 
path  cf  one  thread  to  the  labyrinth  whose  centre  we  seek. 
Let  us  take  up  the  finest  Violin  the  world  possesses  and 
what  will  it  tell  us?  —  only  how  far  old  Strad  went  in  his 
pursuit  of  the  beautiful  in  the  world  of  tones —  not  how  he 
arrived  thereat.  W  hat  a  man  has  done  that  is  excellent, 
it  little  profits  us  blindly  by  rule  of  thumb  to  copy  ;  the  value 
to  us  is  in  showing  us  what  may  be  accomplished,  and 
exciting  our  emulation  to  equal,  or  excel  —  making  us  dis¬ 
satisfied  with  lesser  attainments.  Only  mediocrity  copies 
—  the  grtist  originates,  and  excellence,  like  beauty,  is  not 
limited  to  stereotyped  patterns.  Nature  is  not  sterile ; 
every  day  new  beauties  greet  us  ;  we  see  faces  and  sunsets 
like  no  others  that  have  gene  before.  Art  has  the  same 
prerogative.  Demosthenes  did  not  exhaust  eloquence,  nor 
Titian  impoverish  the  sources  of  color.  Wre  must  believe 
in  new  re-creations  of  genius  and  industry,  and  as  relates 
to  the  Violin,  we  should  ask  ourselves  not,  What  are  the 
measurements  to  be  by  rule  and  callipers?  —  no;  but  we 
should  ask,  Why  are  such  and  such  proportions  good?  — 
what  is  it  renders  them  necessary?  Step  by  step  we  should 
feel  the  artist  had  a  purpose  in  view,  that  he  sought  to  cul¬ 
ture  his  material  into  a  shape  suited  to  a  certain  perception 
of  aim  —  that  aim  being  to  cause  an  equilibrium  or  har¬ 
mony  of  vibration  in  the  mass  of  wood,  that  it  should  give 
a  clear,  sonorous  tone  without  jar  or  roughness.  W7e  should, 
therefore,  try  what  difference  is  perceptible  in  a  rough  plate 
of  wood,  and  with  jagged  edges,  as  distinguished  from  one 
rounded  and  thinned  away  at  various  places — just  as  the 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MALE  IT. 


25 


blade  of  an  oar  is  thinned  away  and  a  flexibility  given  it  to 
damp  the  jar  of  its  stroke.  I  he  floor  of  a  room  weighted  with 
furniture  does  not  vibrate  as  when  devoid  of  weight,  the  sound 
of  the  foot  is  fuller  in  it,  music  in  the  room  has  a  steadier  qual¬ 
ity  than  when  it  is  empty,  and  thus  we  can  reason  that  this 
graduated  thickness  of  wood  in  the  Violin  prevents  an  uncer¬ 
tainty  and  shivering,  under  the  variety  of  forms  of  vibration 

which  course  through  it  —  it  steadies  the  tone _ therefore 

we  can  work  with  this  aim  in  view  and  rely  on  our  touch 
and  ear,  without  dependence  upon  the  callipers  of  another 
man.  We  would  thus  discover  how  our  wood  attains  a  well- 
balanced  sonority.  Then  we  have  to  consider  how  the 
parts  have  to  be  related  to  each  other.  The  belly  is  con¬ 
nected  with  the  back  by  the  sides,  through  which  the  vibra¬ 
tions  pass,  and  then  both  back  and  belly  simultaneously 
excite  the  resonance  of  the  enclosed  body  of  air.  Any  ama¬ 
teur  can  easily  prove  by  experiment  that  a  smooth  interior 
surface  aids  much  in  the  clearness  of  sound  from  a  pipe  or 
cavity,  for  a  ragged  or  spongy  interior  influences  the  tone 
emitted  —  it  makes  it  dingy  and  foggy. 

A  story  is  told  of  an  American  who  once  observed  that 
a  Violin  accidentally  injured  was  much  improved  after 
repairs,  and  better  than  it  had  been  in  its  original  con¬ 
dition.  He  attributed  this  in  a  great  measure  to  the 
amount  of  surface  covered  with  glue,  and,  acting  on 
the  impulse  of  the  moment,  he  determined  on  making 
an  instrument  entirely  of  glue.  The  Violin  thus  fash¬ 
ioned  proved  of  marvellously  fine  tone,  and  showed 
the  sonorous  properties  of  the  material  to  be  of  no  medi¬ 
ocre  quality.  It  was  too  costly  and  troublesome  a  fancy 
probably  to  be  repeated,  and  too  fragile  a  mode  of  con¬ 
struction  to  be  adopted  for  manufacture.  The  foregoing  must 
be  taken,  however,  cum  grano  salis ,  as  barometric  changes 
would  in  all  probability  be  an  insurmountable  impediment, 
causing  variations  in  resonance  with  every  change  of 
weather;  but  be  this  as  it  may,  we  know  that  hard  gutta¬ 
percha  and  vulcanite  make  flutes  of  the  purest  quality  of 
tone.  Numerous  scientific  experiments  unmistakably  indi¬ 
cate  the  value  of  a  smooth  surface  in  aiding  the  production 
of  a  clear,  free  tone. 

Rankins  foremost  amongst  all  the  learned  men  who  thus 
investigated  the  theoretical  construction  of  the  Violin,  and 


26 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


who  also  combined  his  theory  with  practice,  was  the 
learned  French  philosopher,  M.  Savart,  born  in  i  79 r ,  who, 
for  a  period  of  20  years,  ardently  and  thoughtfully  studied 
those  laws  of  construction,  from  which  laws  have  been 
attained  the  most  pre-eminent  practical  results.  To  avoid 
the  parrot  repetitions,  or  stereotyped  teaching  and  unme¬ 
thodical  system  of  books  upon  this  subject,  based  upon 
the  shallowness  that  rests  content  with  assertions,  leaving 
causes  uninvestigated,  I  merely  refer  the  reader  to  the 
rough  translation  of  Savart’s  lectures,  as  given  in  the  fol¬ 
lowing  Chapter,  for  therein  will  the  student  find  much 
valuable  matter,  both  interesting  and  instructive.  For  the 
present,  I  shall  merely  glance  over  a  few  other  particulars, 
several  of  which  are  not  included  in  the  lectures  above  re¬ 
ferred  to.  The  Violins  of  Stradivarius  were  chiefly  those 
which  Savart  experimented  upon  ;  but  ere  he  made  those 
important  discoveries,  afterwards  detailed,  he  had  recourse 
to  almost  innumerable  trials,  in  every  manner  which  his 
keen  and  learned  mind  suggested. 

Taking  the  Violin  as  a  whole,  we  find,  from  Savart’s  re¬ 
searches,  that  every  element  of  the  instrument  was  beauti¬ 
fully  and  skilfully  made  in  a  proportionate  degree,  to 
maintain  the  necessary  sonority  and  vibration.  In  a  few, 
but  indeed  very  few,  of  the  Violins  of  the  Cremonese  mak¬ 
ers,  we  find  some  of  those  rules  have  been  a  little  departed 
from  ;  but  assuredly,  the  more  they  deviate  from  those  well- 
known  facts,  the  worse  they  are  in  quality,  and  even  in 
those  few  which  have  been  found  dissimilar,  it  has  been 
always  to  attain  some  required  peculiarity  of  tone,  which 
the  maker  wished  his  instrument  to  possess. 

Referring  to  the  woods  chiefly  used  in  the  formation  of 
the  instrument,  we  find  that  if  we  make  two  equal-sized  rods, 
one  of  pine  and  the  other  of  maple,  with  the  grain  running 
similar  in  each,  and  nip  one  end  of  each  in  a  vice,  by 
drawing  a  well-rosined  Violin  bow  across  the  upper  end, 
we  put  each  in  vibration  alternately,  —  we  will  find  that 
the  pine  rod  gives  a  more  acute  sound  than  the  maple  one, 
and  consequently  possesses  the  highest  normal  tone.  The 
number  of  vibrations  given  by  a  vibrating  plate  is  in  direct 
proportion  to  its  thickness  —  thus,  a  plate  twice  the  thick¬ 
ness  of  another,  other  conditions  being  similar,  will  give 
twice  the  number  of  vibrations.  Previous  to  the  com- 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


27 


mencementof  forming  a  back  or  breast,  a  rod  ought  always 
to  be  cut  from  them  of  standard  size,  as  a  sample,  and  its 
tone  found,  when  the  woods  giving  the  highest  tone  are 
always  the  finest  for  Violin-making. 

This  method  may  be  adopted  :  — Cut  an  elongated,  rec¬ 
tangular  piece  of  the  wood,  having  two  sides  parallel  to  the 
fibres,  with  the  edges  cut  perpendicular  to  them,  and  find 
its  centre  ;  after  which  obtain  a  small  piece  of  cork,  anu 
place  it  near  to  the  edge  of  a  bench  or  table,  to  allow  the  Vio 
lin-bow  to  freely  pass  the  cork  ;  then  place  the  wooden 
plate  exactly  at  its  centre,  upon  the  cork,  and  press  with  the 
finger  to  keep  it  firm,  and  draw  the  Violin-bow  across  the 
edge  of  the  wood  at  any  of  the  angles,  when  the  sound 
thus  obtained  is  the  lowest  that  the  plate  can  produce,  and 
is  consequently  its  normal  tone  ;  —  or  we  may  obtain  the 
same  result  by  a  simpler  method,  viz.  : — Merely  hold  the 
centre  of  the  plate  between  the  finger  and  thumb,  and  draw 
the  bow  across  one  of  the  corners  of  the  plate  edgewise, 
when  it  will  give  the  same  sound.  We  may  obtain  various 
sounds  from  the  same  plate,  by  changing  the  position  of 
the  damping,  and  place  of  bow,  but  the  foregoing  is  quite 
sufficient  for  our  purpose.  If  the  reader  wishes  for  infor¬ 
mation  upon  the  sounds  of  plates,  I  refer  him  to  either 
Chladni  or  Professor  Tyndall’s  works  upon  sound,  the  latter 
being  a  recent  work  of  much  interest. 

We  can  easily  observe  for  ourselves  that  the  old  makers 
made  a  difference  in  the  sound  of  back  and  breast.  If  I 
hold  with  my  fingers  the  back  of  the  Violin  at  the  part 
where  the  sound-post  would  be,  and  strike  it  as  a  bell,  it 
will  give  forth  a  tone  ;  if  I  do  the  same  with  the  belly,  it 
will  also  give  forth  a  tone  —  but  a  tone  different.  Now, 
this  is  as  it  should  be  ;  the  portion  first  conveying  the  vibra¬ 
tion  has  the  initiatory  advantage,  and  rules  the  next  por¬ 
tion,  compelling  it  to  accept  its  vibrations,  and  deliver 
faithfully  the  message,  merely  modifying  the  quality  of 
tone  in  which  it  is  uttered  —  husband  and  wife  ;  — 

For  woman  is  not  undevelopt  man, 

But  diverse;  could  we  make  her  as  the  man 

Sweet  love  were  slain,  whose  dearest  bond  is  this; 

Not  like  to  like,  but  like  in  difference. 

If  we  make  both  parts  of  the  Violin  of  same  wood  and 
same  normal  tone,  we  get  the  dull  quality  ;  but  bv  making 


28 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


a  judicious  difference  in  wood  and  tone,  we  attain  to  just 
that  tinge  of  variation  and  blending  of  reciprocation  as 
would  be  more  agreeable  to  the  ear  —  not  overfresh,  but 
ripe  and  quickening.  We  know  that  perfect  octaves  are 
imperfectly  satisfying,  just  as  we  know  that  the  moment 
fruit  is  fully  ripe  it  begins  to  part  with  its  flavor — perfec¬ 
tion  palls  on  humanity,  —  it  is  the  u  little  less  than  per¬ 
fect”  that  pleases  us,  that  makes  us  content,  yet  with 
eagerness  for  more  ;  and  I  may  herein  remark,  that  perfect 
octaves  in  unison,  always  swallow  one  another  up.  In 
organs,  if  we  make  two  pipes  precisely  similar,  and  place 
them  together,  one  could  not  tell  whether  one  or  both  were 
sounding,  except  that,  if  anything,  two  would  not  sound  so 
powerful,  and  carry  so  far  as  one  ;  consequently,  the  scale 
of  every  rank  of  pipes  is  varied,  and  as  the  quality  varies, 
so  the  combining  sounds  become  a  more  perceptible  amal¬ 
gamation,  and  reinforce  the  waves  of  vibration.  It  is  all 
in  vain  for  us  to  be  mere  copyists,  for  were  we  to  guage 
every  thickness  of  a  reputed  perfect  instrument  with  the 
exactitude  of  a  micrometer,  and  make  one  of  precisely 
the  same  measurements,  the  result  would  be  but  very  medi¬ 
ocre  in  quality,  and  in  no  way  to  be  compared  with  the 
original  instrument ;  for  as  no  two  faces  are  fully  alike,  or 
two  trees  exact  counterparts  of  one  another,  so  neither  are 
two  pieces  of  wood  innately  the  same,  nor  tw’o  Violins  by 
the  same  artist  precisely  alike.  We  would  therefore  learn 
that  the  artist  worked  freely  and  according  to  the  disposi¬ 
tion  of  the  material  he  had  to  fashion  ;  thus  w7e  must  modify 
the  thickness  according  to  the  quality  of  the  wood,  its  reso¬ 
nant  properties,  etc. 

We  again  may  ask  ourselves,  why  is  the  wood  of  the 
back  and  belly  cut  so  as  to  have  the  grain  parallel,  and  per¬ 
pendicular  to  its  position  on  the  instrument?  If  we  take  a 
small  cube  of  pine,  place  it  upon  a  table,  and  try  its  con¬ 
ducting  power  by  placing  on  it  a  vibrating  tuning-fork,  we 
find  its  resonant  powers  vary  with  the  three  difierent  posi¬ 
tions  in  which  we  may  place  it,  proving  to  us  the  three 
different  velocities  of  sound  through  it — ist,  the  quickest 
along  the  fibres  ;  2nd,  slower  across  the  fibres,  and  across 
the  layers  which  mark  the  growth  of  the  tree  ;  and,  3d, 
slowest  of  all  across  the  fibres  and  along  the  layers  :  and  in 
acoustics  we  have  a  law  of  the  transmission  of  vibrations 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


29 


at  right  angles,  perhaps  analogous  to  the  law  of  magnetic 
currents  crossing  at  right  angles  to  the  currents  of  elec¬ 
tricity  ;  or  of  the  undulations  of  the  waves  which  produce 
light,  and  which  are  so  constituted  that  the  vibrations  hap¬ 
pen  at  right  angles  to  the  rays. 

Some  may  object  to  the  preceding  remarks,  as  certainly 
we  find  some  of  the  old  Violins  with  the  back  cut  slabways, 
with  the  grain  running  from  side  to  side,  parallel  to  the 
centre  of  the  tree,  and  those  made,  too,  by  Maggini,  as  well 
as  several  of  the  Amati  family,  but  let  us  take  into  due  con¬ 
sideration  their  properties — fine,  mellow,  and  silvery  tone,  but 
of  no  great  power  or  intensity  ;  and  a  few  years  afterwards, 
we  find  the  illustrious  Stradivarius  changing  his  method  of 
working,  by  cutting  the  backs  and  sides  with  the  grain  ver¬ 
tical,  the  plate  of  wood  being  a  section  cut  from  the  centre 
to  the  outside  of  the  tree,  with  the  woody  fibre  running  in 
straight  lines  from  end  to  end, f  as  seen  on  the  surface.  We 
find  his  Violins  thus  changed  in  quality,  still  possessing 
their  former  ethereal  purity  and  sweetness  of  tone,  but  now 
having  also  the  required  brilliancy  and  intensity  cf  sound, 
which  seems  to  penetrate  into  every  corner  of  the  largest 
music-hall.  Such  are  the  valuable  acquisitions  which  the 
Violins  of  Stradivarius  possess  —  power,  along  with  bril¬ 
liancy  of  tone. 

When  the  air  is  put  into  a  state  of  sonorous  vibration,  by 
any  means,  as  by  a  note  sounded  on  the  Violin,  by  draw¬ 
ing  the  bow  across  a  string,  a  series  of  concussions  are  pro¬ 
duced  causing  vibration  of  the  string,  which  accumulate 
at  the  part  resting  on  the  bridge,  these  become  transmuted, 
sending  down  vibrations  through  the  bridge  to  the  surface 
of  the  Violin,  thence  slightly  through  the  sound-post  and 
more  so  through  the  sides,  which,  acting  like  so  many 
tuning-forks,  transmit  them  to  the  back,  and  the  whole 
body  of  air  within  increases  the  sound,  by  taking  up  the 
simultaneous  vibrations  in  resistless  impulse,  and  spreads 
them  in  innumerable  spheres  of  motion,  and  thus  the 
original  note  is  therebv  strengthened  in  intensity.  From 
beginning  to  end,  concussion  and  oscillation  repeated  and 
re  repeated ;  and  these,  as  we  know,  are  rhythmic  or 
periodic,  and  reproducing  their  impulses  on  the  tympanum, 
vibrate  the  nerves  of  the  ear  and  are  then  made  audible  to 
us  as  music.  As  subsequently  stated,  we  find  in  the  best 


3° 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MALE  IT. 


instruments  of  the  Cremonese  makers,  the  contained  mass 
of  air  equal  to  C  of  512  vibrations,  the  back  and  breast 
being  formed  to  correspond,  so  as  to  produce  the  tone  of 
difference.  According  as  the  wood  is  thick  or  thin,  so 
must  the  mass  of  air  be  ordered  for  reaction  in  simulta¬ 
neous  vibration.  If  we  have  got  too  much  air,  it  will  be 
slow  in  resonance,  weakening  the  notes  on  the  bass  side  of 
the  instrument,  whilst  the  treble  notes  will  be  thin  ;  if  too 
little  air,  the  quickness  will  be  detrimental,  and  mingle 
dissonantly  successive  sounds,  causing  a  coarseness  in  the 
lower  notes  of  the  instrument,  whilst  the  sounds  of  the  first 
string  lose  all  brilliancy. 

The  air  should  be  absolutely  and  implicitly  obedient  —  it 
has  merely  to  carry  out  commands,  not  to  join  in  executing 
a  given  task  ;  but  the  wood  is  active,  and  both  portions  are 
engaged  in  completing  one  act,  and  all  Violins  more  or 
less  carry  out  the  design  of  their  construction  —  in  convey- 
inga  tone  from  the  string  to  the  bridge,  to  the  belly,  through 
the  sound-post  to  the  back  and  to  the  mass  of  air  within. 

Yet  there  is  a  vast  difference  in  Violins,  and  this  differ¬ 
ence  we  call  quality ;  pitch  may  be  unerring,  but  one  will 
give  harsh  quality,  another  dull,  another  mellow,  another 
bright.  Evidently  the  quality  is  referable  to  the  construc¬ 
tion,  and  to  that  nicety  of  regulation,  which  is  analogous  to 
the  voicing  of  wind  instruments.  What  is  that  ethereal 
quality  that  makes  us  prize  the  Violins  of  the  great  makers, 
a  quality  that  seems  to  us  as  if  each  tone  was  tinted  with 
other  colors,  rich  in  blended  beauty  as  a  sea-shell  with  its 
rainbow  hues,  luscious  as  the  peach,  sweet  yet  acid,  lovely 
as  summer  eves  with  their  soft  and  balmy  breezes?  Merely 
from  the  exact  relationship  of  all  the  parts  of  construction, 
whilst  the  finest  woods  were  employed  in  the  formation  of 
those  cherished  instruments.  The  artist  devoted  his  life¬ 
time  to  his  labors ;  he  found  the  shape  and  thickness  he 
designed  in  ripened  experience  gave  him  the  desired  excel¬ 
lence,  and  imprisoned  in  willing  captivity  the  beauty  he 
sought  and  won.  If  we  hold  a  vibrating  tuning-fork  over 
the  f  holes  of  the  Violin,  as  we  pass  it  over  the  hole,  we 
will  hear  the  tone  swell  louder  from  the  resonance  of  the 
mass  of  air  within  ;  and  if  we  use  three  forks,  as  C,  G,  A, 
one  or  other  will  be  more  reinforced,  it  ought  to  be  C  of 
course,  next  to  that  G  strongest,  and  A  least,  and  so  on 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


31 


with  the  other  notes  ;  or  if  we  use  pitch  pipes,  we  merely 
have  to  blow  across  or  into  the  holes.  The  Violoncello 
responds  best  to  F,  so  that  from  the  instrument  the  tones 
nearest  related  to  the  F,  as  tonic,  would  always  sound  the 
fullest ;  same  with  all  instruments,  certain  notes  have  a 
predominance  of  brightness  or  of  sonority.  In  testing  the 
resonant  mass  of  air  in  the  Violin,  we  may  either  adopt  the 
method  employed  by  Savart,  viz.,  the  conical  tube,  or  by 
the  following  method  :  — Professor  Helmholtz  has  invented 
a  series  of  glass  tubes  which  are  made  to  correspond  to 
every  note  of  the  scale.  They  consist  of  glass  globes,  or 
very  wide  glass  tubes,  with  an  opening  at  each  end,  one 
being  smaller  than  the  other.  The  smaller  opening  is  to 
be  covered  with  heated  wax,  and  an  impression  of  the  ear 
taken  whilst  the  wax  is  soft,  when  by  this  means  the  tube 
will  be  found  to  fit  the  ear  very  accurately.  They  possess 
the  property  of  intensifying  and  resounding  the  same 
sounds  as  are  derived  by  blowing  across  the  widest  open¬ 
ing,  being  the  note  to  which  they  correspond.  When  one 
of  these  instruments,  say  answering  to  C  (512),  is  applied 
to  the  ear,  and  the  other  ear  closed,  then  if  the  air  contained 
in  the  Violin  thus  to  be  experimented  upon  gives  C,  we  have 
merely  to  blow  with  the  mouth  over  one  of  the  f  holes,  w  hen 
the  resonant  sound  will  strike  loudly  upon  the  ear  wherein 
we  have  placed  the  instrument.  By  having  a  scale  of  those 
tubes,  wre  can  easily  ascertain  what  tone  the  air  in  our 
Violin  wdll  give  ;  they  are  sold  under  the  name  of  “  Flelm- 
holtz's  Resonators.” 

In  the  instruments  of  the  ancient  masters,  it  is  surprising 
how  carefully  every  element  of  the  instrument  has  been  stud¬ 
ied,  from  which  arose  their  vast  superiority.  In  reference  to 
the  breast  of  the  Violin,  I  shall  detail  the  following  experi¬ 
ment,  which  will  be  found  worthy  of  the  amateur’s  notice. 
Having  procured  a  piece  of  well-seasoned  and  sonorous 
pine,  a  breast  wras  formed  out  of  it  in  the  usual  manner, 
adopting  the  plan  of  thickness  according  to  the  method 
used  by  Stradivarius.  This  plate,  when  thus  finished  — 
they*  holes  not  as  yet  being  cut  —  gave  the  note  C.  Subse¬ 
quently  they*  holes  were  cut  of  the  usual  size  and  pattern, 
when  the  sound  was  found  to  be  lowered  a  tone,  being  now 
B.  A  bass-bar  having  afterwards  been  glued  on  of  a  some¬ 
what  larger  size  than  commonly  employed,  the  plate  gave 


33 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


the  note  D,  but  the  bar  having  been  reduced  to  its  proper 
dimensions,  the  sound  was  lowered,  and  now  the  breast 
gave  the  same  tone  as  originally,  viz.,  C.  We  can  now 
easily  perceive  that  the  bar  perfectly  compensates  for  the 
difference  of  tone  arising  from  the  cutting  of  the  f  holes, 
but  at  the  same  time  we  can  raise  or  lower  the  tone  very 
considerably,  by  altering  the  dimensions  of  the  bar ;  foi 
the  stronger  the  bar  the  higher  the  tone,  the  sound  lower¬ 
ing  as  the  bar  is  decreased  in  dimensions,  but  the  breast, 
when  properly  reduced,  will  originally  give  the  note  C- 
sharp ;  and  if  the  other  parts,  as  the  f  holes  and  bar 
have  been  proportionally  and  correctly  formed,  then  will 
the  breast  give  forth  the  same  tone  as  previously,  and  those 
combined  elements  will  thus  harmoniously  act  as  a  whole. 


CHAPTER  III. 

EXPERIMENTAL  RESEARCHES  UPON  THE  THEORY  OF 
VIOLIN  CONSTRUCTION,  BY  THE  ILLUSTRIOUS  SAVART, 
AS  GIVEN  IN  THE  FRENCH  PAPER  “  L’lNSTITUT.” 

The  most  beautiful  of  all  instruments  is  the  Violin  ;  it 
has  been  termed  the  king  of  instruments.  It  is  composed 
of  two  plates  or  tables,  the  upper  one  of  those  is  always  of 
deal,  strengthened  by  a  longitudinal  bar,  the  lower  one, 
always  composed  of  a  different  wood  from  the  upper,  is  called 
the  back.  They  are  united  round  their  edges  by  thin  plates 
called  the  sides,  strengthened  by  thin  strips  of  wood  termed 
the  linings.  There  are  also  in  the  angles  formed  by  the 
different  parts  of  the  sides  small  pieces  of  wood,  destined 
to  give  solidity  to  the  instrument,  called  corner-blocks.  To 
the  body  of  the  instrument  is  attached,  as  every  one  is 
aware,  a  neck,  at  the  end  of  which  are  placed  the  pegs, 
upon  which  the  strings  are  wound.  The  form  and  dimen¬ 
sions  of  the  neck  are  of  great  importance  in  the  construc¬ 
tion  of  Violins.  Lastly,  between  the  two  tables,  and  near 
the  piece  which  supports  the  strings,  and  which  is  called 
the  bridge,  is  found  a  small  cylinder  of  wood,  which  puts 
the  two  tables  in  communication,  and  is  called  the  sound- 
post.  This  small  moveable  piece  plays  a  very  remarkable 


THE  VIOLIN :  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


33 


part  in  a  Violin,  for  without  this  piece  it  gives  only  feeble 
and  poor  sounds.  It  is  to  its  influence  upon  the  intensity 
of  the  sounds  that  this  piece  owes  its  name  —  Tame ,  or  the 
soul.  We  can  hardly  admit  that  it  serves  only  to  propa¬ 
gate  the  movements  of  vibration  from  one  table  to  the 
other,  since  they  are  in  communication  by  the  sides  and 
corner-blocks.  The  sound-post  has  functions  far  more  im¬ 
portant,  which  we  shall  examine  with  care. 

Maupertuis  has  given  a  theory  of  the  Violin,  which  is 
nothing  more  than  a  grave  error,  and  which  at  present  we 
must  reject.  He  assumed  that  all  stringed  musical  instru¬ 
ments  ought  to  be  composed  of  fibres  of  different  lengths, 
in  order  that  the  number  of  vibrations  given  by  the  strings, 
might  be  reproduced  by  some  one  of  these  fibres  vibrating 
in  unison  with  the  string,  and  would  thus  reinforce  the 
sound.  Arguing  thus,  he  maintained  the  idea  (which  has 
become  a  prejudice  still  existing),  that  by  breaking  a  Vio¬ 
lin  and  mending  it  again, the  instrument  was  improved,  for 
in  doing  this  the  number  of  fibres  of  different  lengths  wras 
greatly  increased.  But  it  is  easy  to  see  that  this  explana¬ 
tion  of  the  reinforcement  of  the  strings  produced  by  the 
body  of  the  instrument  is  false.  The  tw7o  tables  vibrate  in 
the  whole  of  their  length,  which  can  be  proved  by  sprink¬ 
ling  sand  over  their  surfaces,  and  a  body  which  has  been 
broken  and  re-glued,  vibrates  before  and  after  its  rupture 
in  precisely  the  same  manner ;  it  produces  still  the  same 
nodal  figures  with  the  sand,  as  one  can  prove  with  discs  oi 
wood,  metal,  or  rock-crystal,  etc.  It  is  also  a  natural 
result  of  the  law's  of  the  propagation  of  vibratory  move¬ 
ments.  A  Violin  presents  upon  both  its  upper  and  lower 
surfaces,  nodes  and  ventral  segments,  where  we  see  the 
sand  strongly  agitated.  The  tables  then  are  composed  as 
plates  and  not  of  fibres  vibrating  separately. 

A  Violin  is  composed  of  a  great  number  of  elements, 
each  having  its  proper  function,  and  which  we  shall  now 
enumerate  successively. 

Let  us  first  examine  the  part  played  by  the  sound-post. 
If  w'e  take  away  this  piece  the  sound  loses  its  intensity  and 
quality,  and  becomes  poor.  It  regains  its  strength  and 
purity  as  soon  as  we  restore  this  important  element.  We 
cannot  suppose  that  the  sound -post  acts  as  a  conductor  of 
the  sound,  or  serves  only  to  propagate  the  movement,  for 


34 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT 


we  can  place  this  piece,  not  in  the  Violin  itself,  but  upon 
it,  and  its  action  remains  the  same  ;  its  influence  is  not 
changed. 

We  place  upon  the  Violin  a  kind  of  arch  of  wood,  glued 
upon  the  corner-blocks,  and  we  place  the  sound-post  be¬ 
tween  this  arch  and  the  belly  of  the  instrument ;  the  effect 
produced  is  the  same  as  in  ordinary  circumstances,  when 
the  post  is  in  its  place  inside  the  Violin.  The  arch  is 
formed  of  two  uprights  glued  over  the  corner-blocks  and 
supporting-bar,  at  right  angles  to  them.  Instead  of  the 
post,  a  screw  is  fitted  to  this  bar,  which  can  be  made  to 
press  more  or  less  upon  the  belly.  The  eflectof  the  sound- 
post  is  strongly  produced  when  we  apply  the  pressure  of 
this  screw.  We  now  place  a  similar  arch  between  the 
Violin,  and  pierce  a  small  hole  in  the  back,  to  allow 
the  screw  to  pass,  so  as  to  impinge  upon  the  belly  without 
touching  the  back  at  all.  On  applying  the  pressure  of  the 
screw  the  same  result  will  be  obtained,  as  if  the  post  were 
in  its  place.  Still  more,  if  we  simply  place  upon  a  Vio¬ 
lin,  without  a  post,  a  heavy  body,  the  Violin  resounds  as 
though  the  post  were  there,  provided  the  weight  surpasses 
a  certain  limit.  The  exact  proper  weight  can  be  found  by 
means  of  a  small  cup  containing  a  greater  or  lesser  quantity 
of  mercury.  The  effect  of  the  sound-post  is  above  all  rel¬ 
ative  to  the  belly  of  the  instrument,  for  the  effect  can  be 
produced  in  a  Violin  without  a  back,  by  causing  a  screw  to 
press  upon  the  single  table  of  the  instrument.  The  post 
does  not  play  a  part  similar  to  that  of  the  bridge  in  the 
marine-trumpet,  for  if  we  glue  it  in  its  place  the  effect  is 
not  altered.  We  arrive  at  the  same  results  either  by  press¬ 
ing  the  post  against  the  belly  by  means  of  the  arch  already 
described,  or  by  pressing  the  table  upon  it  in  a  damn. 

The  function  of  the  post  is  to  render  the  vibrations  of 
the  two  tables  normal.  To  prove  this,  let  us  take  a  disc 
upon  which  reposes  a  bridge  destined  to  sustain  a  string. 
When  we  cause  this  string  to  vibrate  in  a  direction  parallel 
to  the  disc,  the  sound  has  little  intensity,  but  it  gains  con¬ 
siderable  power  when  the  vibrations  of  the  string  are  nor¬ 
mal  to  the  disc.  We  take  a  Violin,  of  which  the  tables  are 
pierced  so  as  to  allow  the  passage  of  a  bow,  and  we  remove 
the  post.  If  we  now  excite  the  strings  parallel  to  the  sur¬ 
face  of  the  tables  the  sound  is  very  weak,  but  if,  passing 
the  bow  through  the  Violin,  we  cause  the  strings  to  vibrate 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT. 


35 


perpendicularly  to  the  tables,  the  sound  is  considerably 
strengthened,  and  as  good  as  with  a  post.  Let  us  now 
replace  the  post,  and  we  shall  find  that  there  is  no  change 
in  whatever  way  we  cause  the  strings  to  vibrate.  Again, 
let  us  take  a  Violin  having  the  form  of  a  trapezoid,  and 
instead  of  having  the  strings  upon  the  top,  let  them  be 
placed  upon  the  side.  The  strings  will  now  vibrate  per¬ 
pendicularly  to  the  belly,  and  we  find  that  a  post  makes  no 
difference  in  such  an  instrument. 

It  is  evident  that  the  role  of  the  post  is  to  render  the 
vibrations  normal  to  the  belly,  and  that  it  does  not  produce 
an  effect  of  beatings  as  is  the  case  with  the  left  foot  of  the 
trompette-marine  bridge,  nor  an  effect  of  communication 
between  the  two  tables. 

We  can  prove  by  a  decisive  experiment  that  the  role  of 
the  post  is  to  render  the  vibrations  of  the  tables  normal. 
We  have  made  a  cylindrical  Violin,  containing  very  nearly 
the  same  mass  of  air  as  ordinary  Violins.  Now  we  know 
that  a  cylindrical  vase  always  divides  itself  into  several 
vibrating  parts,  which  vibrate  normally,  and  in  the  case  of 
the  cylindrical  Violin  we  have  the  same  conditions.  If  in 
such  an  instrument  we  place  a  post,  the  sound  is  stifled, 
and  has  less  intensity  than  without,  the  post  in  this  case 
only  tending  to  check  the  vibration. 

But  how  is  it  that  the  post  renders  normal  a  movement 
which  in  appearance  ought  to  be  tangential?  To  explain 
this,  let  us  revert  to  an  experiment  already  cited.  Taking 
a  rod  vibrating  longitudinallv,  we  touch  it  with  another 
rod  at  right  angles.  Now,  under  certain  circumstances, 
this  second  rod  will  vibrate  longitudinally  also,  instead  of 
normally  as  it  should,  in  conformity  with  the  general  laws 
of  the  communications  of  vibrations  already  stated.  We 
have  shown,  in  fact,  that  in  a  rod  which  is  the  seat  of  lon¬ 
gitudinal  vibrations,  there  are  contractions  and  dilations 
which  give  rise  to  semi-transversal  vibrations,  having 
the  same  duration  as  the  longitudinal  vibrations.  Conse¬ 
quently,  if  we  touch  with  another  rod  a  vibrating  segment  of 
the  rod  which  vibrates  tangentially,  the  contractions  and 
dilations  will  be  communicated  to  the  perpendicular  rod, 
which  will  also  become  the  seat  of  longitudinal  vibrations. 
The  same  phenomenon  is  produced  in  the  V  iolin.  The 
transversal  oscillations  of  the  tables  produce  in  the  post  a 


36 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


longitudinal  movement,  which,  reacting  upon  the  move¬ 
ments  of  the  tables,  determines  in  them  a  normal  move¬ 
ment.  It  is  an  exception,  as  we  have  seen,  to  the  general 
laws  of  the  communication  of  vibrations.  The  post  acts 
as  a  kind  of  bow  with  regard  to  the  tables.  If  the 
original  exciting  cause  was  only  instantaneous,  as  in  the 
guitar,  the  effect  of  the  post  would  be  to  stifle  the  sound  ; 
but  in  the  Violin  the  originating  cause  is  continuous,  and 
it  is  the  sum  of  very  small  movements  which  produces 
in  the  end  an  effect  very  intense  and  pronounced.  The 
post  acts  like  the  bow,  and  produces  a  shock  correspond¬ 
ing  to  each  vibration  produced  by  the  latter.  It  is  to  be 
noted  that  the  nature  of  the  deal  renders  the  transverse  flex¬ 
ions  of  the  belly  more  easy.  In  fact,  if  care  is  taken  to 
place  all  the  fibres  of  the  wood  parallel  to  the  greatest 
length  of  the  instrument,  vibrations,  whose  direction  is  at 
right  angles  to  these  fibres,  will  produce  more  decided  flex¬ 
ions  than  if  it  were  in  any  other  direction,  for  in  this  direc¬ 
tion  the  elasticity  of  the  wood  is  the  smallest.  It  is  necessary, 
therefore,  that  the  fibres  of  the  deal  should  be  placed  par¬ 
allel  to  the  length  of  the  instrument.  The  post  has  other 
properties  besides  that  we  have  just  attributed  to  it.  It  is 
not  placed  inside  the  Violin  to  sustain  the  belly,  since  we 
can  place  it  outside  the  instrument ;  besides,  so  slender  a 
rod  of  dry  wood  would  be  of  little  use  for  strengthening 
purposes.  It  plays  a  very  important  part,  which  proves 
the  necessity  of  giving  to  the  bridge  a  certain  definite  form. 
It  is  always  placed  behind  the  right  foot  of  the  bridge, 
which  has  the  effect  of  sustaining  this  foot  in  a  state  of  al¬ 
most  perfect  rest ,  in  order  that  the  left  foot  may,  as  in  the 
marine-trumpet,  communicate  its  movements  to  the  bar 
of  the  instrument.  In  all  Violins  there  is  beneath  the 
belly  a  bar  intended  to  give  the  belly  resistance,  at  the  same 
time  that  it  determines  in  the  whole  length  of  the  instru¬ 
ment  the  movement  communicated  to  it.  This  bar  is  to 
the  left  of  the  instrument,  and  ought  to  receive  the  shocks 
produced  by  the  left  foot  of  the  bridge. 

We  proceed  to  cite  experiments  in  support  of  what  we 
advance.  We  take  a  Violin,  and  pierce  the  belly  at  the 
point  directly  over  the  extremity  of  the  post,  so  that  the  right 
foot  of  the  bridge  rests  on  this  extremity  without  touching  the 
belly  at  all ;  the  sound  is  a  little  dull,  but  the  effect  of  the  post 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


37 


is  produced.  In  another  Violin  we  isolate  the  left  foot  of  the 
bridge,  the  bar  being  in  the  middle,  the  effect  of  the  post 
is  still  manifested.  To  do  this,  we  cut  out  a  piece  of  the 
belly,  and  without  allowing  it  to  touch  the  belly  of  the  in¬ 
strument,  maintain  it  in  its  place  by  a  special  contrivance  ; 
it  supports  the  left  foot  of  the  bridge,  which  communicates 
in  no  manner  with  the  belly.  The  effect  of  the  bar  is  to 
produce  throughout  the  Violin  the  movement  communi¬ 
cated  to  it  by  the  bridge.  It  vibrates  as  a  whole  ;  there  is 
no  division  in  its  length,  nor  in  that  of  the  belly.  Thus,  to 
resume,  we  see  that  the  post  has  three  functions,  ist,  It 
communicates  the  movement  from  table  to  table  ;  2nd,  It 
renders  the  vibrations  of  the  table  normal  ;  3d,  It  renders 
the  right  foot  of  the  bridge  immovable.  The  post  vibrates 
the  belly  as  a  whole,  and  whatever  the  original  direction  of 
the  vibration  is,  it  renders  it  normal  in  the  two  tables. 

Let  us  examine  now  the  part  played  by  the  body  of  the 
instrument,  which  is  composed  of  the  belly,  the  back,  the 
sides,  and  the  corner-blocks.  The  back  is  always  composed 
of  beech  or  maple,  as  well  as  the  sides  ;  the  belty  of  deal. 
Maple  is  preferable  to  beech  for  the  back. 

We  will  now  consider  the  body  first  in  its  simplest  form. 
Let  11s  suppose  it  to  be  rectangular,  and  we  will  then  ex¬ 
amine  the  role  of  each  piece  as  we  build  them  up.  If 
we  take  a  thin  plate  of  wood  by  itself,  it  will  render  a  cer¬ 
tain  sound  — fa 3  for  example  ;  to  its  two  extremities  we 
now  glue,  at  right  angles,  two  small  blocks.  If  we  now 
cause  the  first  plate  to  vibrate  again,  we  shall  find  that  the 
sound  is  lower  than  before  for  the  same  nodal  division  — 
say,  si4  ;  next  glueing  another  rod  or  plate  to  the  blocks  of 
the  same  dimensions  as  the  first,  and  parallel  to  it,  we  find 
the  sound  given  by  the  system  to  be  —  say,  sol 4  ;  the  nodal 
divisions  presented  by  both  plates  being  the  same  as  when 
the  first  vibrated  alone.  We  have  chosen  the  two  par¬ 
allel  plates  so  as  to  be  perfectly  in  unison,  that  they  may 
produce  exactly  the  same  mode  of  division,  and  being 
united,  whichever  one  we  excite,  both  will  produce  the 
same  nodal  figure.  If  now  we  diminish  the  thickness  of 
one  of  the  plates,  the  nodal  lines  will  be  displaced  —  they 
will  no  longer  correspond  upon  the  two  plates  ;  the  nodes 
on  the  thinner  one  will  approach  nearer  together,  but  never¬ 
theless  the  sound  of  the  two  plates  will  still  be  the  same, 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


whichever  one  be  excited.  We  can  understand  easily  that, 
the  thinner  plate  being  compelled  to  vibrate  in  unison  with 
the  other,  the  nodes  must  be  nearer  together,  since  the  ven¬ 
tral  segments  must  be  smaller  to  give  the  same  number  of 
vibrations.  We  perceive  the  same  phenomenon  in  the  body 
of  a  Violin.  Separately,  the  back  and  belly  will  not  give 
the  same  number  of  vibrations  ;  united ,  they  render  the 
same  sound.  To  prove  this,  let  us  operate  with  closed 
rectangular  cases,  pierced  in  the  centre  of  their  larger  sur¬ 
faces  with  a  circular  hole,  to  allow  the  passage  of  some 
rosined  horsehair,  and  also  with  the  apertures  correspond¬ 
ing  to  the  f  holes  of  a  Violin,  to  give  the  air  contained  in 
the  case  freedom  to  vibrate.  If  now  we  cause  the  case  to 
vibrate,  by  means  of  the  horsehair,  a  nodal  line  will  be 
produced  round  its  edges,  and  the  sound  will  be  the  same 
whichever  surface  of  the  case  we  vibrate. 

If  the  two  plates  are  of  the  same  thickness,  and  identical 
in  form,  the  nodal  lines  are  the  same  in  each,  and  this  is  a 
method  of  proving  the  equality  of  the  two  plates.  If  they 
are  not  of  the  same  thickness,  the  sound  of  both  will  still 
agree,  but  the  nodal  division  will  no  longer  agree  in  each. 
In  the  thicker  one,  the  nodal  lines  will  retreat  from  one 
another,  while  in  the  thinner  one  they  will  approach  more 
closely  together. 

It  is  evident  from  this  that  the  back  and  belly  of  a  Vio¬ 
lin  vibrate  always  in  unison.  Let  us  examine  now  the 
part  played  by  the  air  contained  in  the  case  of  the  instru¬ 
ment.  We  take  a  case  formed  of  two  plates,  rectangular 
in  shape,  of  the  same  wood,  the  same  thickness,  and  giving 
the  same  sound  for  the  same  mode  of  division.  They  are 
united  by  sides  also  rectangular,  pierced  with  two  holes, 
analogous  to  the  f  holes  of  stringed  instruments.  The 
tables  are  pierced  with  holes  to  allow  the  passage  of  a  skein 
of  horsehair  to  put  them  in  vibration.  To  make  the  col¬ 
umn  of  air  resound,  we  employ  a  slightly  conical  brass  tube, 
flattened  at  the  larger  end,  so  as  to  present  only  a  narrow 
rectangular  orifice  for  the  passage  of  the  air. 

This  apparatus  is  very  convenient  for  the  purpose  of 
vibrating  any  column  of  air.  In  the  present  case,  we  place 
the  flat  end  upon  one  edge  of  one  of  the  lateral  openings, 
so  as  to  blow  upon  the  other  edge,  and,  after  a  few  trials, 
we  shall  soon  obtain  the  required  sound.  Then  we  remark 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


39 


a  very  important  fact,  viz.,  that  the  sound  of  the  contained 
air  is  exactly  the  same  as  that  rendered  by  the  instrument 
when  we  vibrate  either  one,  or  the  other  of  the  tables.  If 
we  reduce  the  thickness  of  one  of  the  tables,  the  sound 
given  by  the  air  will  be  changed,  as  well  as  the  sound  ren¬ 
dered  by  the  tables,  but  the  two  sounds  will  still  be  the 
same.  The  air  and  the  two  tables  then  form  a  vibrating 
s}  stem,  and  vibrate  as  a  whole.  This  is  true,  however, 
within  certain  limits  ;  for  if  we  reduce  the  thickness  of  one 
of  the  tables,  so  as  to  make  it  render  a  sound  an  octave 
below  the  other,  the  two  will  no  longer  vibrate  in  unison, 
nor  will  the  air  any  longer  give  the  same  sound  as  either 
of  the  tables.  If  we  close  one  of  the  lateral  openings,  the 
sound  of  the  air  will  be  lowered  at  the  same  time,  and  the 
sounds  will  still  be  in  unison.  This  reaction  of  the  air 
upon  the  tables  is  a  very  curious  and  instructive  phenom¬ 
enon  —  a  reaction  which  determines  the  number  of 
vibrations  in  both.  The  twro  tables  of  a  Violin  give  the 
same  results,  that  is  to  say,  the  sound  given  by  them  is  ex¬ 
actly  that  of  the  mass  of  air  contained  by  the  instrument, 
as  one  can  prove  by  means  of  the  brass  tube  described 
above.  To  prove  this  phenomenon,  and  vibrate  the  tables 
in  a  direct  manner,  we  attach  perpendicularly  to  the  back 
and  belly  with  a  little  sealing-wax,  rods  of  glass,  which 
we  cause  to  vibrate  longitudinally,  the  tables  will  enter 
into  vibration,  and  will  give  the  same  sound  as  that 
produced  by  means  of  the  tube  applied  to  one  of  the  f 
holes.  Whatever  be  the  size  or  form  of  the  instrument, 
this  result  is  always  the  same.  We  have  tried  with  Violins 
with  flat  surfaces  and  of  a  rectangular  shape,  with  excellent 
Stradivari  uses  and  Guarneriuses,  and  resulting  always  in 
a  confirmation  of  this  principle  ;  that  the  air  and  the  tables 
always  vibrate  in  unison,  and  as  a  system,  of  which  all  the 
parts  react  one  upon  another. 

There  is,  as  we  have  seen,  a  great  difference  between  a 
Violin  which  possesses  a  post  and  one  without.  In  the 
first  case  the  sound  of  the  air  is  higher  than  in  the  second. 
It  is  the  same  with  the  sound  of  the  tables.  There  is 
always  a  complete  identity  between  the  two  sounds.  Take 
a  Violin  and  vibrate  the  air  and  the  tables,  you  will  have  a 
certain  sound  ;  take  away  the  post,  and  the  sound  will  be 
lower  both  for  the  air  and  for  the  tables.  One  fact  is  to  be 


4° 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT. 


noticed  from  this  of  moment  —  it  is,  that  in  the  instruments 
of  Stradivarius  we  have  tried,  the  sound  of  the  air  is  inva¬ 
riably  the  same.  We  will  give  the  value  of  this  fact 
presently. 

The  intensity  of  the  sounds  rendered  by  a  Violin  depends 
upon  the  mass  of  air  which  it  encloses,  and  which  ought 
always  to  be  in  a  certain  proportion  with  the  other  elements 
of  the  instrument.  It  is  easy  to  determine  it.  To  prove 
this  relation,  we  have  made  a  flat  rectangular  Violin,  be¬ 
neath  which  was  fitted  a  rectangular  case,  furnished  with  a 
piston,  which  permitted  the  mass  of  air  to  be  augmented 
or  diminished  at  pleasure.  If  we  cause  the  strings  of  this 
instrument  to  vibrate,  while  we  adjust  the  mass  of  air  by 
raising  or  depressing  the  piston,  we  find  that  in  a  certain 
position  of  this  piston  the  sound  has  the  greatest  intensity 
and  sweetness.  If  the  volume  is  too  great,  the  lower 
sounds  are  feeble  and  hollow,  and  the  higher  sounds  bad 
and  poor  ;  if  it  is  too  small,  the  lower  sounds  are  thin,  and 
the  higher  sounds  less  pure. 

If  we  determine  the  sound  of  the  air,  (by  the  means  al¬ 
ready  described)  when  we  find  the  sound  of  the  strings  to 
be  at  their  best,  we  find  that  it  rests  within  certain  limits, 
which  depend  upon  the  form  and  other  elements  of  the 

instrument.  In  experimenting  thus  with  instruments  of 
Stradivarius,  we  have  found  that  the  air  always  gave 
the  do-natural  of  natural  philosophers,  corresponding  to 
512  vibrations  per  second,  that  is  512  single  vibrations,  or 
256  double  vibrations  —  the  French  philosophers  always 
count  single  vibrations  ;  the  English  and  Germans,  dou¬ 
ble  vibrations,  or  the  do-Jlat  of  the  present  scale.  Now, 
it  is  to  be  noted  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  when  Stradivarius  constructed  his  instruments,  the 
pitch  was  half  a  note  lower  than  at  present. 

All  the  instruments,  therefore,  of  this  great  master  were 
in  do.  Several  musicians  have  found  that  in  tuning  their 
instruments  in  do-Jlat ,  the  tone  was  better.  In  examining 
a  great  number  of  excellent  Violins  of  Stradivarius,  we 
have  always  found  this  condition  to  be  fulfilled. 

Here,  then,  is  a  fact  acquired  by  industry  and  science  ; 
without  this  condition,  a  Violin  leaves  much  to  be  desired. 
If  the  air  gives  the  sound  do-sharp ,  the  low  sounds  are 
bad  ;  if  it  gives  the  si  or  la  below,  the  high  sounds  lose 


THE  VIOLIN:  HO  IV  TO  MAKE  IT. 


41 


their  power,  and  are  more  difficult  of  emission,  while  the 
grave  sounds  resemble  those  of  the  Tenor.  In  many 
Stradivarius  Violins  the  air  gives  exactly  512  vibrations  per 
second.  It  is  easy  to  assure  one’s  self  if  this  condition  is 
fulfilled,  without  which  a  Violin  has  little  value  ;  it  suffices 
to  put  the  air  in  vibration  by  means  of  the  conical  tube 
described  previously.  Although  one  of  the  most  important 
points  in  the  construction  of  the  Violin  is  that  which  we 
have  just  examined,  there  are  others  to  which  we  must 
have  regard,  and  which  we  shall  proceed  to  point  out,  per¬ 
suaded  that,  by  operating  according  to  the  conditions  indi¬ 
cated,  we  shall  be  sure  of  obtaining  in  all  cases,  and  at 
once,  good  instruments. 

What  relation  ought  there  to  exist  between  the  sounds  ot 
the  two  tables  before  being  united?  Ought  they  to  give 
sounds  in  unison,  or  an  octave  apart,  or  what?  We  have 
constructed  a  Violin  of  which  both  plates  were  of  deal, 
and  perfectly  in  unison  when  made  to  vibrate  separately. 
The  sound  of  this  instrument  was  feeble,  and  of  very  ordi¬ 
nary  quality.  A  back  of  maple  was  substituted  for  the  deal 
one,  but  still  in  unison  with  the  belly  ;  the  instrument  was 
bad,  and  very  feeble.  Thus  we  see  already  that  the  two 
tables  ought  not  to  be  in  unison.  And  besides,  if  they 
were  perfectly  in  unison  at  first,  they  would  soon  differ  a 
little,  .and  then  we  should  have  beats,  and  a  very  bad  effect 
would  be  produced.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  to  avoid 
the  unison,  and  even  to  be  a  certain  distance  from  it,  so  as 
to  avoid  the  possibility  of  beats  occurring. 

To  determine  the  exact  distance  between  the  sounds  of 
back  and  belly  there  was  only  one  means,  and  that  was  to 
have  recourse  to  direct  experiment.  It  was  necessary  to 
study  the  best  Violins,  to  dissect  them,  and  examine  all 
their  parts.  We  have  dissected  several  Stradivarius  and 
Guarnerius  Violins  of  great  value,  and  we  have  determined 
directly  the  sounds  of  the  two  tables.  To  obtain  these 
sounds,  we  clamp  the  tables  at  a  point  wheie  two  nodal 
lines  cross  one  another,  the  one  transversal  and  the  othei 
longitudinal,  so  that  the  elasticity  of  the  wood  in  both 
directions,  is  called  into  play.  The  nodal  system  being  the 
same  on  each  plate,  we  find  ci  tone  difference  ;  nearer  to  the 
unison  we  shall  have  beats,  more  than  a  tone  difference,  the 
difficulty  the  plates  have  in  vibrating  in  unison  increases. 


TIIE  VIOLIN:  IIOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


42 

Thus  we  must  consider  as  positive  that  a  good  Violin 
must  satisfy  these  twro  conditions,  to  have  the  tables  such 
that  they  give  sounds  a  tone  apart,  and  a  mass  of  air  giving, 
by  blowing  in  at  one  of  they*  holes  the  do-flat ,  or  the  do 
of  the  fourth  string,  512  vibrations  per  second,  in  round 
and  exact  numbers,  the  other  dimensions  being  the  same 
as  those  of  Stradivarius.  For  the  nodal  division  indicated, 
we  find  that  in  the  good  Violins  the  sound  varied  between 
do-sharf 3  and  re 3  for  the  belly,  and  for  the  back  between 
re 3  and  re-sharp* ,  so  that  there  is  always  a  semitone,  or  a 
tone  difference  between  the  twro. 

Why  is  deal  preferred  for  the  construction  of  musical  in¬ 
struments  to  any  other  description  of  wood?  The  nature 
of  deal,  its  feeble  density,  and,  above  all,  its  elasticity, 
causes  it  to  be  preferred  to  any  other  substance.  Its  resist¬ 
ance  to  flexion  is  greater  than  that  of  any  other  wood,  and 
also  than  a  great  number  of  other  substances,  even  metal¬ 
lic  ;  it  is  equal  to  that  of  glass  and  steel.  Thus,  with  a 
very  feeble  mass,  we  possess  in  deal,  a  substance  having 
elasticity  as  great  as  that  of  glass  or  steel. 

Sound  is  propagated  in  deal  with  the  same  velocity  as  in 
these  substances.  If  we  take  three  rods  of  glass,  steel,  and 
deal,  cut  in  the  direction  of  the  fibres,  all  three  having  the 
same  dimensions,  and  cause  them  to  vibrate  longitudinally 
or  transversely,  so  as  to  produce  the  same  nodal  division  in 
each,  we  shall  see  that  the  sounds  given  by  the  three  sen¬ 
sibly  approximate.  Thus,  the  volocity  of  sound  in  deal  is 
as  great  as  in  glass,  or  steel,  or  as  great  as  in  any  solid 
substance.  The  deal  then  offers  the  incontestable  advan¬ 
tage  of  presenting  a  large  surface  with  little  mass,  and 
possesses  a  great  elasticity.  A  Violin  with  tables  of  glass 
or  steel,  would  be  worth  nothing,  on  account  of  its  great 
mass,  and  the  difficulty  that  would  be  experienced  in  caus¬ 
ing  it  to  vibrate.  Violins  have  been  constructed  in  glass, 
steel,  brass,  silver,  etc.  The  sounds  of  such  instruments 
were  always  found  to  be  feeble  and  bad.  In  maple,  the 
propagation  of  sound  is  much  less  rapid  than  in  deal ;  it 
varies  between  10  and  12  in  the  direction  of  the  fibres,  that 
in  air  being  1 .  Perpendicularly  (to  the  fibres)  it  is  between 
4  and  5.  In  deal,  the  rapidity  of  propagation  is  15  to  16I 
times  as  great  as  in  air,  transversely  it  is  much  less,  be¬ 
tween  2  and  4,  according  as  the  fibres  are  wide  or  narrow  ; 


THE  VIOLIN:  HO  IV  TO  MAKE  IT. 


43 


it  never  reaches  5.  This  difference  of  elasticity  in  two 
directions,  at  right  angles,  is  again  an  advantage  not  found 
in  homogeneous  substances  like  glass  and  metals.  This 
feeble  power  of  propagation  in  a  direction  perpendicular  to 
the  fibres,  determines  greater  contractions,  dilations,  and 
transversal  deflections,  which  act  upon  the  post  with  great 
energy,  which  would  not  be  the  case  except  for  the  fibrous 
nature  of  the  substance. 

The  deal  owes  to  its  fibrous  structure  other  advantages 
which  it  is  important  to  note.  We  have  stated  previously 
that  the  tables  of  a  Violin  vibrated  in  the  same  manner  as 
plates,  and  caused  the  formation  of  nodal  lines  exactly  as 
surfaces  put  into  vibration,  so  that  the  fibres  appeared  to 
play  no  particular  part ;  nevertheless,  it  is  not  to  be  doubted 
that  the  fibres  facilitate  their  being  put  into  a  state  of  vibra¬ 
tion.  We  may  conceive  that,  being  disposed  to  vibrate  in 
unison  with  the  sounds  produced,  they  enter  immediately 
into  vibration,  and  communicate  the  movement  to  the 
tables,  just  as  the  strings  of  a  guitar,  in  unison  with  sounds 
produced  in  the  same  apartment,  enter  into  vibration,  and 
communicate  their  movement  to  the  entire  mass  of  the  in¬ 
strument.  The  fibrous  nature  of  the  deal  appears  then  to 
play  a  very  important  part  in  the  structure  of  the  Violin, 
and  becomes  a  powerful  motive  to  prefer  it  to  any  other 
substance.  One  can  find  in  these  facts  the  explanation  of 
several  phenomena  connected  with  the  human  ear. 

The  disposition  of  the  drum,  its  fibrous  nature,  which 
has  already  given  rise  to  several  theories  of  audition,  would 
play  the  same  role  in  the  ear  as  we  have  attributed  to  the 
fibres  of  the  deal,  to  facilitate  the  vibration  of  several  parts 
of  this  organ.  Here  is  an  experiment  among  several  others 
which  we  could  cite,  to  justify  our  assertion.  We  take  sev¬ 
eral  parallel  rods  of  unequal  length  forming  a  surface  upon 
which  we  glue  some  parchment.  By  producing  sounds 
varying  in  pitch  beneath  this  body,  we  shall  see  that  the 
vibratory  movement  always  commences  in  the  rod  nearest 
in  unison  with  the  sound  produced,  and  then  communicates 
itself  to  the  whole  system,  causing  the  parchment  to  vibrate 
as  a  plate. 

The  Violin  is,  then,  an  instrument  consisting  of  strings, 
plates,  and  a  mass  of  air ;  all  these  elements  vibrate  in 
unison,  and  the  mass  of  air  ought  to  give  the  sound  do  = 


44 


THE  VIOLIN:  IIOVV  TO  MAKE  IT. 


* 


512  vibrations  for  the  construction  generally  admitted. 
The  position  of  the  bridge,  the  place  occupied  by  the  post, 
and  its  pressure  upon  the  tables  of  the  instrument,  have 
great  influence  upon  the  sound.  The  player  ought  to  pay 
great  attention  to  the  relative  position  of  the  various  parts 
of  his  instrument.  The  fundamental  sound  of  the  air  can 
be  influenced  by  a  bad  disposition  of  the  post,  and  render 
more  or  less  bad  an  instrument  otherwise  having  all  the 
qualities  essential  to  a  good  instrument.  The  pressure  of 
the  post  upon  the  tables  can  modify  the  sound  of  the  air, 
and  of  the  tables,  by  rendering  them  lower,  or  higher ;  if 
it  is  too  short  the  sound  will  be  too  low,  and  the  lower 
sounds  of  the  Violin  will  be  favored  ;  if  it  is  too  long  the 
pressure  upon  the  tables  will  be  too  great,  and  the  acute 
sounds  of  the  instrument,  those  of  the  E  string,  will  gain  in 
brilliancy,  to  the  detriment  of  the  low  sounds  of  the  fourth 
string.  In  a  word,  if  the  pressure  is  too  feeble,  it  is  equiv¬ 
alent  to  decreasing  the  thickness  of  the  tables ;  if  the  post 
is  too  long,  the  same  effect  is  produced  as  if  the  tables 
were  increased  in  thickness.  It  is  necessary,  then,  to  cal¬ 
culate  the  dimensions  of  the  post,  the  position  of  the 
bridge,  and  above  all,  to  try  at  every  change  if  the  sound  of 
the  air  contained  in  the  case  corresponds  with  the  funda¬ 
mental  sound  we  have  already  indicated,  supposing  all  the 
other  conditions  fulfilled  in  the  instruments.  As  the  mak¬ 
ers  of  instruments  must  necessarily  try  their  tables  before 
glueing  them,  it  will  be  useful  to  enter  into  some  details 
as  to  the  method  of  determining  the  sounds  they  give. 

If  we  take  a  square  plate  of  deal,  having  two  of  its  sides 
parallel  to  the  fibres,  and  if  we  make  it  vibrate  normally  so 
as  to  produce  two  nodal  lines  parallel  to  the  direction  of 
the  fibres,  wre  shall  produce  a  certain  sound  ;  if  we  now 
turn  it  and  cause  it  to  vibrate  so  as  to  produce  two  parallel 
nodal  lines  at  right  angles  to  the  fibres,  the  sound  will  be 
different,  although  the  mode  of  division  is  the  same.  In 
one  case  the  plate  is  deflected  in  the  direction  of  the  fibres, 
and  in  the  other  perpendicularly,  or  rather  at  right  angles 
to  this  direction.  The  resistance  to  flexion  being  different 
in  these  two  directions,  the  sound  must  change.  But  we 
can  make  the  plate  produce  a  nodal  figure,  consisting  of 
two  nodal  lines  at  right  angles  to  one  another,  and  in  this 
case  the  sound  is  always  the  same,  as  the  elasticity  in  both 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT. 


45 


directions  is  called  into  play  simultaneously.  To  obtain 
this  division,  it  is  necessary  to  clamp  the  plate  where  the 
lines  cross  one  another.  In  the  tables  of  a  Violin  we  can 
obtain  one  longitudinal  line  in  the  direction  of  the  fibres, 
and  two  at  right  angles  to  it.  If  we  produce  the  longitu¬ 
dinal  lines,  or  the  transversal  ones  separately,  we  shall  have 
different  sounds,  because  the  flexions  of  the  tables  will  be 
either  parallel  or  at  right  angles  to  the  fibres.  By  clamp¬ 
ing  the  table  at  a  point  where  one  of  the  transverse  lines 
crosses  the  longitudinal  one,  we  shall  divide  the  belly  or 
back  into  six  vibrating  segments,  which  will  oscillate  syn¬ 
chronously,  and  produce  the  sound  it  is  necessary  to  deter¬ 
mine.  The  maker  who  wishes  to  try  his  tables  will  take 
a  wooden  clamp,  and  between  two  corks,  cone-shaped,  or 
two  wooden  cones  covered  with  leather,  will  clamp  the 
table  and  make  it  vibrate  by  means  of  the  bow,  after  having 
spread  over  its  surface  a  little  of  the  sand  used  in  offices  for 
drying  ink.  He  will  see  the  nodal  lines  form,  and  after  a 
few  trials  w'ill  be  able  to  press  the  table  where  two  lines  at 
right  angles  cross  one  another,  and  he  will  then  have  the 
required  sound.  It  is  necessary  to  use  great  care  in  choos¬ 
ing  the  wood.  It  should  be  dry,  the  fibres  exactly  parallel 
to  the  length  of  the  instrument,  and  perfectly  symmetrical 
in  shape.  He  will  be  able  to  assure  himself  of  the  good 
construction  of  his  tables  by  means  of  the  nodal  lines, 
which  ought  to  be  perfectly  symmetrical,  and  divide  the 
two  halves  of  the  tables  in  exactly  the  same  manner.  He 
will  be  sure  of  producing  a  good  instrument  by  these 
means,  and  science,  in  conducing  to  this  result,  will  have 
rendered  an  immense  sendee  to  industry. 

As  all  the  different  kinds  of  deal  are  not  equally  good, 
we  must  give  a  simple  method  of  determining  the  sorts  we 
should  prefer,  on  account  of  their  greater  elasticity.  We 
have  said  that  deal  and  maple  present  great  differences  in 
the  velocities  with  which  sound  is  propagated  in  them  lon¬ 
gitudinally  and  transversely.  To  discover  if  two  substan¬ 
ces  offer  the  same  resistance  to  flexion,  we  cut  rods  of  the 
same  dimensions  from  each  substance,  and  cause  those  rods 
to  vibrate  longitudinally.  In  the  case  of  wood  it  is  neces¬ 
sary  to  cut  these  rods  parallel  to  the  fibres  or  transversely, 
according  to  the  direction  in  which  we  wish  to  test  the 
velocity  of  propogation.  Care  must  be  taken  to  cause  the 


46 


THE  VIOLIN :  HO  IV  TO  MAKE  IT. 


rods  to  give  the  same  nodal  division.  The  velocity  of  the 
propagation  will  be  in  proportion  to  the  acuteness  of  the 
sounds  produced.  The  higher  the  sound  produced  by  a 
rod,  the  greater  the  velocity  of  propagation  in  that  rod. 
By  these  means  we  shall  be  enabled  to  keep  rods  serving 
as  types,  and  test  the  quality  of  the  wood  we  use,  by 
comparing  it  with  these  rods. 

The  Bridge. — The  bridge  plays  afar  more  important 
part  than  is  generally  attributed  to  it.  Its  incisions  and 
form  have  a  great  influence  upon  the  quality  ot  the  instru¬ 
ment.  It  merits,  therefore,  all  our  attention.  If  we  take 
a  piece  of  wood,  cut  like  a  bridge,  and  glue  it  upon  a  Vio¬ 
lin,  the  instrument  nearly  looses  its  sound.  It  gets  a  little 
better  if  we  form  feet  to  the  bridge  ;  if  we  make  lateral 
incisions  in  it,  the  sound  improves,  which  improvement 
increases  gradually  until  the  bridge  assumes  the  ordinary 
form.  It  is  an  astonishing  thing  that  by  trial  we  gradually 
arrive  at  the  form  of  bridge  usually  adopted,  and  which 
appears  to  be  better  than  any  other.  A  multitude  of  trials 
have  been  made  before  this  important  piece  arrived  at  per¬ 
fection.  Everything  has  led  to  this  result,  that  we  cannot 
depart  from  the  established  form  without  detracting  greatlv 
from  the  quality  of  the  instrument.  Bridges  have  been 
made  of  deal  with  their  fibres  perpendicular  and  parallel  to 
the  belly,  but  the  sound  was  found  to  be  altered.  The 
size  and  shape  of  the  openings  have  been  altered,  but  the 
beauty  of  the  instrument  has  always  been  impaired.  Let 
us  examine  the  movement  of  the  molecules  of  the  bridge. 
If  we  take  a  plain  bridge  with  two  feet  and  a  single  string, 
the  movement  is  tangential,  parallel  to  the  face  of  the 
bridge.  If  we  make  two  incisions  in  it,  the  nature  of  the 
movement  changes,  and  the  sand  is  seen  to  move  in  several 
directions  at  once,  while  the  bridge  itself  experiences 
movements  of  oscillation,  and  its  molecules  appear  to  exe¬ 
cute  vibrations  in  a  direction  normal  to  the  bellv.  The 

m/ 

effect  appears  to  be  to  confirm  the  normal  movements  of 
the  tables.  The  bar  to  which  these  oscillations  are  im¬ 
parted,  produces  in  the  belly  a  similar  movement  over  its 
entire  surface,  and  prevents  it  from  dividing  into  ventral 
segments  by  transversal  nodal  lines.  All  the  parts  of  the 
instrument  enter  at  once  into  vibration.  Let  us  see  how 
we  can  modify  the  effects  of  the  bridge,  by  interfering  a 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT. 


47 


little  with  its  oscillations.  By  placing  a  mute  on  the  bridge 
the  sound  is  almost  null,  and  the  bridge  seems  no  longer  to 
vibrate.  It  even  appears  to  arrest  the  vibrations  of  the 
other  parts  of  the  instrument.  The  mute  arrests  its  oscil¬ 
lations,  and  no  longer  produces  the  vibration  of  the  belly. 
If  we  clamp  the  right  foot  of  the  bridge,  the  sound  is 
weakened,  but  not  to  so  great  an  extent  as  with  a  mute. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  we  repeat  the  experiment  with  the 
left  foot,  which  ought  to  communicate  its  movement  to  the 
bar ,  the  sound  is  incomparably  weaker.  It  is  evident  that 
the  left  foot  of  the  bridge  produces  the  shocks  which  occa¬ 
sion  the  movement  of  the  bar  and  of  the  belly.  The  right 
foot,  as  we  have  seen,  is  rendered  immovable  by  the 
post. 

Neck. — The  form  of  the  neck  and  the  nature  of  the 
wood  employed  have  great  influence  upon  the  quality  of 
a  Violin.  If  the  wood  is  too  hard  or  too  soft,  the  quality 
of  the  sounds  is  considerably  changed.  Perrot  states  in 
his  treatise  on  singing,  that  if  the  strings  of  a  lute  are  at¬ 
tached  to  a  support,  the  sounds  loose  greatly  in  power. 
We  must  remark,  however,  that  this  would  have  less  influ¬ 
ence  in  the  Violin,  where  the  action  of  the  bow  is  constant, 
and  not  instantaneous,  as  in  lutes  and  guitars.  Neverthe¬ 
less',  let  us  examine  the  species  of  modification  that  the 
sound  of  a  Violin  will  undergo  if  the  neck  is  detached,  and 
rendered  independent  of  the  body  of  the  instrument.  A 
Violin  is  fixed  in  a  vice,  and  the  neck  is  separated  from  it, 
as  well  as  the  part  to  which  the  strings  are  attached  ;  the 
bridge  rests  on  the  body  of  the  instrument,  but  the  points 
to  which  the  strings  are  attached  have  no  communication 
with  it.  The  apparatus  is  now  put  into  vibration,  and  the 
sound  is  still  found  to  have  considerable  intensity  ;  but  if 
we  put  the  neck  again  in  communication  with  the  case,  the 
intensity  will  be  greatly  increased.  It  is  easy,  then,  to  see 
from  the  preceding,  the  part  played  by  the  neck  in  a 
stringed  instrument  played  on  by  a  bow.  In  fact,  in  excit¬ 
ing  the  strings  with  a  bow,  at  a  short  distance  from  the 
bridge,  we  cause  the  string  to  be  deflected  at  the  point 
where  the  bow  is  applied,  and  the  curve  thus  produced  is 
not  symmetrical  in  the  two  halves  of  the  length  of  the 
string,  but  the  greatest  deflection  is  at  the  point  where  the 
bow  is  applied,  and  this  deflection  is  propagated  as  a  wave 


48 


THE  VIOLIN:  HO  IV  TO  MAKE  IT. 


along  the  string,  and  is  reflected  on  arriving  at  the  nut, 
returning  to  the  bridge  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  axis  of 
the  string.  These  waves  are  continued  without  cessation 
at  each  oscillation  of  the  string,  and  impinging  upon  the 
bridge  cause  therein  a  transversal  movement.  We  can 
easily  be  assured  of  this  fact,  by  using  a  long  monochord, 
having  a  plate  disposed  as  a  bridge,  upon  which  sand  is 
strewed. 

There  are  then  three  different  sorts  of  movements  in  a 
Violin  ;  one  in  the  direction  of  the  length  of  the  strings, 
one  normal  to  the  belly,  and  the  third  tangential ;  these 
three  movements  force  the  instrument  to  execute  the  great¬ 
est  possible  amount  of  oscillation. 

An  experiment  of  M.  Cagniard  Latour  confirms  the 
explanation  we  have  given  of  the  movement  propagated 
from  end  to  end  of  the  strings.  We  take  a  small  rectangu¬ 
lar  piece  of  paper  ;  by  making  two  parallel  cuts  with  a 
penknife  in  this  paper,  we  can  pass  it  along  one  of  the 
strings.  If  we  place  this  paper  near  the  bridge,  it  will  fol¬ 
low  the  direction  of  the  bow,  but  if  we  place  it  near  the 
nut,  its  motion  will  be  contrary  to  that  of  the  bow.  This 
phenomenon  proves  that  the  curve  in  the  half  of  the  string, 
nearest  the  nut,  makes  an  angle  in  the  opposite  direction  to 
that  produced  by  the  bow  at  the  point  of  attack. 

The  weight  necessary  to  stretch  a  Violin  string  is  as 
nearly  as  possible  20  lbs.  The  first  string  often  requires 
22  lbs.  to  bring  it  up  to  pitch  ;  for  the  second  20  lbs.  are 
required,  and  a  little  less  for  the  third  and  fourth.  Let  us 
take  a  first  string,  having  exactly  the  length  given  to  it  on 
a  Violin,  and  making  it  sound  E,  by  stretching  it  by  the 
appropriate  weight.  We  will  now  see  what  part  of  the 
weight  is  supported  by  the  belly  when  the  whole  tension  of 
the  four  strings  amounts  to  So  lbs.  To  this  E  string, 
stretched  horizontally,  we  will  suspend  a  weight,  at  the 
exact  point  where  the  bridge  would  be,  sufficient  to 
cause  the  string  to  make  at  that  point  the  same  angle  it 
makes  when  stretched  over  the  bridge,  which  angle  is 
about  1 55 0  ;  the  string  will  then  give  the  sound  F.  If 
we  examine  the  weight  we  find  it  to  be  6  lbs.  2  oz. 
Thus  the  table  would  support  about  24  lbs.  for  the  four 
strings.  After  establishing  the  conditions  in  which  the  best 
Violins  of  Guarnerius  and  Stradivarius  were  constructed, 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT. 


49 


and  having  proved  that  they  contain  a  mass  of  air  giving 
do  —  512  vibrations,  and  having  also  stated  that  musicians 
should  adopt  this  diapason  in  order  to  get  the  best  possible 
tone  from  their  instruments,  we  shall  finish  by  saying,  that 
we  shall  be  able  to  construct  excellent  Violins  on  any  other 
tone,  by  constructing  them  precisely  similar  to  those  of 
Stradivarius,  and  being  careful  to  have  all  the  parts  in 
inverse  proportion  to  those  of  Stradivarius,  as  the  tone  we 
take  as  the  basis  bears  to  do=  512  vibrations.  Thus,  if  we 
construct  a  Violin  in  do-flat ,  the  dimensions  must  be  to  the 
dimensions  of  a  Stradivarius,  as  512  is  to  the  number  of 
vibrations  given  bv  the  mass  of  air  in  the  Violin. 

After  having  studied  the  Violins  of  the  best  masters,  and 
determined  the  role  of  each  part,  we  have  indicated  the 
means  of  constructing  excellent  instruments,  resembling  in 
everything  the  most  perfect  ones  of  Stradivarius.  The 
principles  we  have  deduced  from  numerous  experiments 
permit  us  to  state  the  question  in  a  general  sense  and  not 
as  a  particular  case.  The  construction  of  Violins  is  a 
problem  susceptible  of  several  solutions.  Several  of  these 
being  unknown,  they  are  so  related  the  one  to  the  other, 
that  one  being  determined  it  is  easv  to  determine  the 
others.  We  can,  for  example,  vary  the  form  and  dimen¬ 
sions  of  the  tables,  but  we  must  at  the  same  time  vary 
their  thicknesses  and  the  height  of  the  sides,  so  that  the  air 
shall  still  give  the  sound  do  —  ^12  vibrations.  The  dimen¬ 
sions  of  the  f  holes  have  great  influence  upon  the  sound  of 
the  mass  of  air.  We  have  already  said,  that  if  we  cover  one 
of  these  with  paper  the  sound  of  the  air  is  lowered.  Con¬ 
sequently,  if  they  are  too  large,  the  sound  of  the  air  is  too  high, 
and  vice  versa.  This  is  the  reason  why  we  often  find  Violins 
of  large  pattern  giving  a  higher  sound  than  ^<9=512  vibra¬ 
tions,  while  from  their  size  it  should  be  lower.  Such  are 
the  Violins  of  Maggini,  at  least  those  which  we  have  exam¬ 
ined,  the  sound  of  the  air  being  re  instead  of  do,  on  account 
of  the  f  holes  of  these  instruments  being  larger  than  those 
of  Stradivarius. 

It  is  possible,  then,  to  construct  Violins  of  any  form  and 
thickness,  provided  we  keep  within  the  conditions  indicated. 
The  problem  being  indeterminate  admits,  as  we  have  seen, 
of  an  infinity  of  solutions.  It  must  be  noted,  however,  that 
if  we  substitute  flat  tables  for  arched  ones,  or  tables  more- 


5° 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


or  less  arched,  the  timbre  of  the  sound  will  be  modified. 
We  shall  obtain  greater  purity  as  the  tables  approach  being 
flat,  but  at  the  same  time  the  sound  will  lose  in  brilliancy. 

Violoncello. — What  we  have  said  with  regard  to  the 
Violin,  leaves  little  to  be  added  regarding  this  instrument. 
The  Violoncellos  now  made  are  generally  good,  and  we 
can  always  arrive  at  good  results  by  following  the  same 
principles  as  those  enumerated  with  regard  to  the  Violin, 
and  by  taking  the  dimensions  in  proportion  to  the  sound 
taken  as  a  basis,  with  the  exception  that  we  must  give  the 
instrument  greater  proportional  depth,  otherwise  they 
would  be  too  long  and  very  unwieldy.  If  exactly  pro- 
portiomd  to  a  Violin  in  all  parts,  the  length  of  a  Bass 
wouldfjse  35  in.  by  20  in  breadth,  instead  of  which  they  are 
constructed  of  26  to  27  in.  in  length,  by  15  or  16  in  breadth, 
but  instead  of  being  only  3  in.  in  depth  they  are  made 
4  in.  The  sounds  of  the  Violoncello  being  an  octave  and  a 
fifth  below  those  of  a  Violin,  the  sound  of  the  mass  of  air 
should  be  lower  in  the  same  proportion,  that  is  to  say, 
J'a  =  ihjO'66  vibrations.  This  sound  is  arrived  at  by  di¬ 
minishing  the  surface  of  the  tables,  and  increasing  the  depth 
of  the  instrument  as  stated  above.  To  determine  the  sound 
of  the  air  in  the  body  of  a  Violoncello,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
produce  a  succession  of  low  notes  near  one  of  the  f  holes. 
Among  these  sounds  one  will  be  found  to  be  reinforced  to  a 
greater  extent  than  any  of  the  others,  and  this  will  be  the 
note  required,  or  we  may  make  use  of  the  brass  tube  pre¬ 
viously  described  in  speaking  of  the  Violin.  We  frequently 
observe  that  the  fa ,  fa-sharp  or  fa-fat  on  the  fourth 
string  of  a  Violoncello  has  a  hollow,  rumbling  sound,  and 
can  scarcely  be  obtained  with  purity.  This  remarkable 
peculiarity  has  never  been  properly  explained.  It  is  evi¬ 
dent  from  what  we  have  just  said,  that  the  sound  of  the 
mass  of  air  is  in  most  cases  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood 
of  this  fa,  and  this  effect  is  produced  from  the  mass  of  air 
not  being  exactly  in  unison  with  the  fa  of  the  fourth  string, 
and  beats  are  the  result ;  or  if  the  fa  itself  is  exactly  in 
unison  with  the  air,  the  neighboring  sounds  fa-fat  ox  fa- 
sharp  will  suffer  instead. 

The  Tenor.  —  The  mass  of  air*!n  a  Tenor  should  ren¬ 
der  a  sound  a  fifth  below  that  of  the  Violin,  and  con¬ 
sequently  an  octave  above  that  of  the  Violoncello,  say 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


51 


fa  =  341-33.  Instead,  however,  of  producing  this  xiote, 
most  of  the  Tenors  made  now,  give  the  sound  <A>  =  5 1 2 
vibrations,  like  the  Violins.  The  result  of  this  is,  that  the 
low  sounds  are  feeble,  hollow,  and  difficult  of  production, 
and  the  instrument  has  not  the  quality  it  ought  to  have. 
Formerly  Tenors  were  made  of  large  pattern,  and  ap¬ 
proached  more  nearly  to  the  veritable  conditions  of  the 
theory.  It  is  much  to  be  desired  that  the  makers  should 
give  their  attention  to  the  matter,  so  as  to  place  the  con¬ 
struction  of  these  instruments  in  harmony  with  the  Violins 
and  Basses. 

Contre-Bass.  —  The  foregoing  observations  will  apply 
also  to  the  Contre-Bass,  the  construction  of  which  has 
hitherto  been  altogether  arbitrary.  The  Contre-Bass  gives 
sounds  an  octave  below  those  of  the  Violoncello,  and  the 
mass  of  air  should  therefore  be  the  fa  below  that  of  the 
’Cello. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

REMARKS  UPON  THE  FOREGOING  THEORIES  OF  SAVART 

RELATIVE  TO  THE  VIOLIN. 

The  reader  having  carefully  perused  the  preceding 
pages,  let  us  examine  how  much  positive  instruction  is  to 
be  derived  from  them.  We  must  carefull}7  take  into  ac¬ 
count,  however,  that  the  papers  in  “  L’Institut  ”  are  merely 
reports  of  what  Savart  stated  verbally  in  his  lectures,  and  it 
must  be  understood  that  the  matter  would  have  been  stated 
far  more  clearly  had  the  papers  received  his  revision,  or 
proceeded  from  the  pen  of  the  philosopher  himself.  For 
my  own  part  I  cannot  regard  the  universally  received  idea, 
that  the  sound-post  is  intended  as  a  means  of  communica¬ 
tion  between  back  and  belly,  otherwise  than  a  popular 
error,  and  the  more  I  think  of  it,  the  more  it  seems  to  me 
that  the  points  of  the  back  and  belly  touched  by  the  sound- 
post,  are  the  points  of  least  vibration.  In  the  rendering  of  the 
vibration  of  back  and  belly  normal  by  the  sound-post,  we 
must  clearly  understand  in  what  sense  Savart  uses  the  term 
normal.  In  his  paper  upon  ‘‘The  Vibrations  of  Solid 
Bodies  considered  in  general,”  he  defined  the  terms  he 


53 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT. 


should  afterwards  make  use  of  in  speaking  of  various  modes 
of  vibration.  By  normal  he  means  vibrations  executed  per¬ 
pendicularly  to  the  surface  of  the  vibrating  body,  or  what 
in  English  acoustics  is  termed  transverse  vibrations ;  by 
tangential  vibration  he  means  movements  parallel  to  the 
surface.  From  the  series  of  interesting  experiments  upon 
the  sound-post,  he  deduces  the  following  results  :  — 

i  st.  That  the  deflections  of  the  belly  produce  in  the  post  a 
longitudinal  movement,  which,  reacting  upon  the  move¬ 
ments  of  the  belly,  determines  therein  a  normal  movement 
instead  of  an  oblique  one. 

2nd.  That  the  post  holds  the  right  foot  of  the  bridge  in  a 
state  of  complete  rigidity. 

3rd.  That  the  post  communicates  the  vibration  from 
belly  to  back. 

Now,  as  regards  the  first  of  these  deductions,  it  is  true  that 
the  general  law  ruling  the  communication  of  vibrations  is, 
that  all  the  vibrations  of  a  vibrating  system  are  executed  in 
the  same  direction  as  the  exciting  cause.  For  example, 
suppose  a b,  in  the  accompanying  Fig.,  to  be  a  rod  of  wood, 


h  c 


.  . >f 

• 

u  y  cr 

Fig.  2. 


and  c  another  rod  glued  to  it  perpendicularly  at^\  Now,  if 
c  be  made  to  vibrate  transversely  in  the  direction  e  J~,  a  b 
will  vibrate  longitudinally,  provided  they  are  rigidly  con¬ 
nected  at  g.  But  if  this  joint  is  imperfect  the  same  result  will 
not  follow.  Again,  by  exciting  c  at  an  angle  of  about  40° 
with  the  original  direction,  as  h  z,  the  second  rod,  a  <5, 
will  vibrate  transversely  instead  of  longitudinally.  It  is 
obviously  unnecessary,  therefore,  to  make  the  case  of  the 
Violin-post  an  exception  to  this  general  law,  since  neither 
the  post  nor  the  bridge  are  rigidly  connected  with  the 
belly.  Again,  in  his  “  Mbmoire  sur  les  Communications 
des  Vibrations,”  Savart  himself  states  the  following  case, 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


53 


among  many  others:  —  “If  a  rod  falls  perpendicularly 
upon  another  rod  at  a  point  in  this  latter,  held  in  a  state  of 
rest  by  a  rigid  obstacle,  the  first  being  caused  to  vibrate 
transversely,  the  second  will  also  vibrate  transversely,”  as 
in  the  following  Fig. 


a 


Let  a  be  the  first  rod  falling  perpendicularly  upon  the 
second  rod  3  3,  at  a  point  c  in  this  latter,  held  immovable 
by  the  obstacle  d.  If  a  be  made  to  vibrate  transversely,  3 
will  also  vibrate  transversely,  as  indicated  by  the  dotted 
lines.  This  appears  to  be  the  real  state  of  the  case  in  the 
Violin,  where  a  would  represent  the  right  foot  of  the 
bridge  vibrating  under  the  influence  of  the  strings  from 
right  to  left,  3  the  belly  and  d  the  sound-post. 

Again,  Savart  in  the  same  Memoire  stated  that  it  was 
found  impossible  to  cause  a  rod  to  vibrate  longitudinally 
when  one  of  its  ends  was  rigidly  fixed.  How,  then,  can 
the  post  be  the  seat  of  longitudinal  vibrations,  if  one  end  of 
it  is  employed  in  maintaining  the  right  foot  of  the  bridge 
in  a  state  of  rest  ? 

The  second  deduction  of  Savart’s,  then,  seems  to  be  the 
true  one,  and  is  in  perfect  accordance  with  the  remarks  I 
have  made  above.  A  noticeable  fact,  deduced  from  Savart’s 
experiments  on  the  sound-post  which  seems  to  confirm  this, 
is,  that  the  pressure  of  the  post  is  only  required  to  be  ex¬ 
erted  on  the  belly.  The  third  deduction  of  Savart’s  seems 
to  be  of  little  importance,  for,  if  the  second  be  true,  the 
communication  between  the  tables  must  be  principally 
effected  by  the  sides.  Savart  then  proceeds  to  examine  the 
mutual  reaction  that  the  tables  and  the  contained  mass  of 
air  exert,  the  one  upon  the  other.  This  section  contains 
the  cream  of  the  matter,  and  the  experiments  cited  are  of 
the  greatest  interest.  Let  us  briefly  recapitulate  what 
Savart  puts  forward  in  this  section. 

He  proves  by  experiments  that  the  tables  and  air,  within 


54 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


certain  limits,  always  vibrate  synchronously,  that  the 
sounds  of  an  instrument  are  at  their  best  when  the  air  con¬ 
tained  by  the  case  has  a  certain  volume,  which  volume 
depends  upon  the  other  elements  of  the  instrument,  that 
the  sound  of  this  mass  of  air  in  the  Violins  of  Stradivarius 
was  always  found  to  be  the  do  of  512  vibrations,  and  that 
the  sounds  of  the  bellies  and  backs  of  the  good  Violins 
were  found  to  give  about  the  sounds  do-sharp 3  and  re¬ 
sharp2,  respectively,  when  caused  to  vibrate  independently, 
and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  form  one  nodal  line  in  the 
direction  of  their  length,  cut  by  two  other  lines  at  right 
angles  to  the  first.  In  other  words,  the  sound  of  the  belly 
vibrating  under  such  conditions,  gave  a  tone  equal  to  the 
mass  of  air  in  the  completed  instrument,  and  the  back  a 
note  higher.  (  This  small  index  number3,  printed  over  the 
notes  in  this  and  the  preceding  chapter,  is  meant  to  indi¬ 
cate  the  position  of  the  sound  above  the  lowest,  ‘‘32  feet” 
C  of  the  organist, —  thus  do-sharp  3  represents  2  feet,  or 
middle  C.) 

But  to  these  data  he  adds  that  the  dimensions  of  the  in¬ 
strument  should  be  the  same  as  in  Stradivarius  instruments, 
and  this  is  the  weak  point  in  the  theory,  for  without  know¬ 
ing  the  exact  dimensions  in  question,  it  is  obvious  that  we 
could  satisfy  all  the  conditions  of  Savart,  in  a  multitude  of 
different  ways,  by  varying  these  dimensions. 

For  instance,  suppose  we  had  an  instrument  satisfying 
all  the  conditions  required  by  Savart  —  that  is  to  say,  the 
belly  giving  the  sound  do,  the  back  re  vibrating  independ¬ 
ently,  and  the  mass  of  air  in  the  complete  instrument 
do  =  512  vibrations.  Now,  by  increasing  the  area  of  the 
tables,  and  at  the  same  time  their  thickness  in  proper  pro¬ 
portions,  it  is  very  easy  to  see  that  we  could  preserve  the 
same  sounds  while  the  dimensions  would  vary  considerably. 
At  the  same  time,  we  could  preserve  the  sound  of  the  mass 
of  air  constant,  by  decreasing  the  height  of  the  sides,  and 
the  result  would  be  a  Violin  of  entirely  different  dimensions, 
and  yet  satisfying  all  the  conditions  Savart  insists  upon. 
Again,  without  varying  the  area  of  the  tables,  we  could 
obtain  the  required  tones  for  back  and  belly  in  a  variety  of 
ways  by  simply  adjusting  the  thicknesses. 

For  instance,  let  the  accompanying  Fig.  represent  one  of 
the  tables,  and  let  a  a,  b  b  b  b ,  be  the  nodal  lines  obtained 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


55 


in  testing  the  tone.  Let  it,  in  the  first  in¬ 
stance,  be  supposed  to  give  the  required  tone& 
and  be  of  equal  thickness  throughout.  Now, 
by  increasing  the  thickness  along  the  nodal 
lines,  and  also,  gradually,  and  to  a  greater  ex¬ 
tent  outwards  towards  the  rim  of  the  table,  so 
that  the  rim  or  edge  would  become  thicker  b 
than  the  centre,  the  same  sound  could  be  pre¬ 
served,  for  we  should  be  increasing  the  elas¬ 
ticity  along  the  nodal  lines,  the  effect  of 
which  would  be  to  increase  the  number  of  FlS-  4- 
vibrations  ;  but  this  effect  would  be  neutralized  by  the  in¬ 
creased  weight  of  the  ventral  segments  c  c  c  c.  The  same 
result  would  be  produced  by  the  reverse  of  this  pro¬ 
ceeding —  that  is,  by  diminishing  the  thickness  along  the 
nodal  lines,  and  also  to  a  greater  extent  that  of  the  flanks, 
so  that  the  greatest  thickness  would  then  be  in  the 
centre.  Now,  not  only  according  to  Lupot,  but  actual  ex¬ 
perience,  all  these  three  systems  of  thicknesses  were  applied 
to  the  bellies  of  the  Cremona  instruments  of  various  makers, 
the  first  by  Stradivari  us  ;  the  second  by  Joseph  Guarnerius  ; 
and  the  third  by  the  Amatis  ;  but  all  agreed  in  having  the 
backs  thickest  in  the  centre,  the  respective  qualities  of  the 
three  classes  of  instruments  being,  power  and  mellowness, 
great  power  and  brilliance  with  less  mellowness,  and  sweet¬ 
ness  but  little  power.  Now,  which  is  right?  Tradition 
and  prejudice  are  in  favor  of  the  last,  the  Amatis  style  ;  but 
eventually  will  the  student  find  his  favorite  method  to  be 
equal  thickness  throughout  the  belly. 

Is  it  not  remarkable  that  there  should  be  so  close  a  paral¬ 
lel  between  the  respective  qualities  of  the  three  classes  of 
instruments  and  the  three  systems  of  thicknesses?  The 
Joseph  Guarnerius,  on  the  one  hand,  with  the  greatest 
thickness  round  the  edge,  has  the  greatest  power ;  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  Amatis  with  the  greatest  thickness 
in  the  centre,  have  comparatively  little  power,  but  great 
sweetness.  Against  these  two  extremes  we  have  the  Stra¬ 
divari  us  instruments,  with  equal  thickness  throughout, 
combining  the  good  qualities  of  both.  In  an  article  of 
Savart’s,  published  in  the  44  Annales  de  Chimie,”  entitled, 
44  Recherches  sur  les  Vibrations  de  l’Air,”  he  states  cer¬ 
tain  facts  which  throw  considerable  light  upon  what  ought 


a 


b 


5,6 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


to  be  the  form  of  the  mass  of  air  contained  in  a  Violin.  If 
we  take  a  long,  narrow  vibrating  column  of  air,  as  an 
organ  pipe,  for  instance,  it  will  give  a  certain  sound,  which, 
with  its  harmonics,  are  the  only  sounds  that  can  be  derived 
from  the  pipe,  and  it  will  resound  to  no  other  vibrating 
body  except  such  as  may  be  in  perfect  unison  with  one  of 
its  sounds.  Thus,  if  we  have  an  organ  pipe  giving  the 
sound  C,  and  a  tuning-fork  exactly  in  unison  with  it,  the 
pipe  can  be  made  to  sound  by  simply  holding  the  vibrating 
fork  near  its  mouth,  but  no  such  effect  is  observed  if  the 
fork  gives  any  other  sound  than  that  of  the  pipe  itself. 
This  phenomenon  is  called  resonance.  Now,  Savart  states 
in  the  article  referred  to  above,  that  if  the  vibrating  column  of 
air  is  gradually  reduced  in  length  and  increased  in  diameter, 
this  power  of  resonace  is  no  longer  confined  to  sounds  exactly 
in  unison  with  the  mass  of  air  itself ;  but  if  the  diameter  be 
considerable  in  comparison  with  the  length  of  the  column, 
almost  any  sound  within  certain  limits  will  be  reinforced  to 
a  greater  or  lesser  extent. 

This  power  of  reinforcing  a  number  of  sounds,  increases 
as  the  diameter  increases  in  proportion  to  the  length,  and 
the  mass  of  air  in  a  Violin  may  be  regarded  as  such  a 
column  whose  diameter  greatly  exceeds  its  length.  There 
appears,  therefore,  to  be  good  reason  for  obtaining  the 
requisite  mass  of  air  in  an  instrument  by  lateral  expansion, 
rather  than  by  increasing  the  height  of  sides,  or  the  arch¬ 
ing  of  the  back  and  belly,  and  a  scientific  explanation  is  at 
once  given  of  the  causes  that  led  Stradivarius  to  extend  his 
model,  at  the  same  time  that  he  reduced  the  arching  of  his 
instruments.  Savart’s  explanation  why  there  should  be  a 
tone  of  difference  between  the  two  tables  appears  some¬ 
what  doubtful.  He  alleges  that  a  nearer  approach  to 
unison  would  cause  beats,  but  this  accords  very  imperfectly 
with  his  previous  statement:  that  within  certain  limits, 
whatever  be  the  sound  of  the  two  tables  when  vibrating 
independently,  they  always  vibrate  synchronously  when 
united.  The  limit  is  a  very  narrow  one  when  anything 
more  or  less  than  a  tone  destroys  their  power  of  vibrating 
in  unison.  It  appears  certain  that  the  sounds  of  a  Violin 
proceed  principally  from  the  mass  of  air  contained  in  the 
instrument,  as  no  sounds  of  so  great  an  intensity  could  be 
produced  from  vibrating  plates  equal  in  area  to  the  tables 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


57 


of  a  Violin,  while  there  are  other  musical  instruments 
whose  sounds  we  know  are  produced  by  aerial  vibrations, 
which,  although  containing  a  mass  of  air  much  less  than 
that  of  a  Violin,  produce  sounds  of  equal  intensity,  such, 
for  instance,  as  the  Flute,  Clarionet,  or  the  Reed  pipe  of  an 
organ.  The  last  is  a  very  instructive  example,  and  may 
tend  to  an  explanation  of  the  point  in  question.  A  reed 
pipe  consists  of  a  free  or  fixed  reed  in  communication  with 
a  column  of  air  above  it.  Now,  it  is  not  absolutely  neces¬ 
sary  that  the  reed  should  be  perfectly  in  unison  with  the 
mass  of  air  above,  within  certain  limits  they  will  accom¬ 
modate  themselves  the  one  to  the  other ;  but  one  remark¬ 
able  fact  is  to  be  noticed,  viz.,  the  stiffer  the  reed  the  greater 
power  it  will  have  in  forcing  the  air  above  to  vibrate  in 
unison  with  it.  This  appears  to  be  the  role  of  the  tables  of 
a  Violin,  that  is  to  force  the  vibrations  of  the  aii  to 
accommodate  themselves  to  the  vibrations  of  the  tables, 
and  the  ratios  given  by  Savart  as  existing  between  the  back, 
belly,  and  contained  mass  of  air  in  the  good  Violins  he 
experimented  upon,  are  no  doubt  such  as  to  give  the  two 
tables  sufficient  stiffness  to  bring  the  mass  of  air  into  com- 
plete  subjection.  If  this  stiffness  be  decreased  the  air  will 
have  a  tendency  to  vibrate  after  its  own  mode  —  that  is,  to 
sound  its  fundamental  note  or  its  harmonics;  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  if  the  stiffness  of  the  tables  be  too  great,  greater 
difficulty  will  be  experienced  in  putting  the  instrument  into 
vibration. 

When  we  consider  that  the  sound  given  by  a  vibrating 
solid  is  an  exact  index  to  its  elasticity  or  stiffness,  this  ex¬ 
planation  appears  extremely  propable.  Savart’s  remarks 
upon  the  bridge  and  the  neck  seem  perfectly  just.  Unfor¬ 
tunately  he  bestows  but  little  attention  to  the  bar,  which 
is  perhaps  the  least  understood  element  of  the  instrument. 

Upon  the  paragraphs  relating  to  the  other  instruments 
of  the  class,  Tenor,  ’Cello,  and  Double-bass,  I  make  no 
remark,  considering  it  sufficient  for  the  present  to  confine 
my  attention  to  the  Violin,  for  let  the  true  principle  of  the 
perfect  construction  of  this  instrument  be  once  clearly  laid 
down,  the  rest  will  become  very  easy. 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


53 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  INSTRUMENT. 

To  many  the  above  head-line,  no  doubt,  will  suggest 
such  thoughts  as  these: — What  utility  can  there  possibly 
be  in  describing  the  construction  of  an  instrument  which 
one  can  purchase  at  the  most  trifling  expense,  an  instru¬ 
ment  which,  with  its  appendage  the  bow,  we  can  obtain 
for  a  few  shillings  —  yea,  a  full-sized,  veritable  Violin, 
stained  in  scarlet  hues,  and  anointed  with  turpentine  var¬ 
nish,  mated  with  a  colored  bow  of  beechwood,  which  only 
awaits  an  attack  upon  the  strings  of  its  feeble  and  deformed 
neighbor,  to  arouse  “discordant  sounds,”  which  by  no  mel¬ 
lifluous  charm  favor  the  scions  of  Apollo  ? 

The  following  must,  however,  forcibly  strike  the  minds 
of  such  persons.  Violins  appear  to  possess  the  widest 
range  of  prices,  perhaps  over  any  other  article  of  such 
original  cost,  as  whilst  we  can  obtain  the  one  for  two  or  three 
shillings,  we  find  we  cannot  possess  some  of  the  finest  of  the 
Cremonese  instruments  for  several  hundreds  of  pounds ; 
and  when  such  is  the  case,  curiosity  must  impress  the  most 
careless  and  superficial  reader  as  to  the  cause  of  such 
apparently  mad  expenditure. 

Fifteen  hundred  acres  of  Cincinatti  land  were  at  one 
time  given  for  a  Stainer  Violin,  and  as  the  city  of  Pittsburg 
now  stands  upon  that  land,  it  may  be  safely  stated  that  this 
is  perhaps  the  heaviest  price  that  was  ever  paid  for  a 
Violin.  It  is  not  the  mere  varnish,  wood,  and  stain  that 
we  purchase  in  those  fine  old  instruments,  it  is  the  intu¬ 
itional  inspiration  of  the  artistic  genius,  the  harmonic  soul 
introduced  into  such  apparent  trifles,  the  maximum  expe¬ 
rience  of  multiform  lives  concentrated  into  a  few  wooden 
elements  —  a  small,  thin,  wooden  shell  —  which  constitute 
almost  a  living  thing  of  immortality.  Time,  although 
capable  of  tracing  lines  and  spots  upon  its  surface,  has  but 


59 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT \ 


little  effect  upon  its  anointed  fabric,  and,  like  the  myste¬ 
rious  alchemical  sages  of  romance,  it  onty  begins  to  grow 
old  with  ages  of  perpetual  youth,  and  never  loses  its  essen¬ 
tial  qualities  of  sweetness  and  resonance.  It  lives  with  a 
vigorous  “  forgotten-bv-death  ”  consciousness,  singularly 
contrasting  with  the  generations  of  humanity  and  familiar 
objects  which  disappear  around  it,  and  although  its  ele¬ 
ments  may  have  been  for  centuries  widely  diffused  through¬ 
out  the  world,  yet  its  44  back,”  or  44  breast,”  which  may  be 
the  only  single  original  element  of  its  compostion,  faith¬ 
fully  proclaims  its  individuality  and  life  of  metempsychosis. 
Thus  its  life  is  in  a  manner  dual,  human  in  its  pathos  and 
sympathy,  but  superhuman  in  its  imperishable  materiality, 
for  it  reigns  truly  the  prince  of  all  instruments,  and  sings 
over  the  grave  of  many  generations,  only  awaiting  the  mas¬ 
ter-touches  of  a  Paganini,  or  Joachim,  to  still  remain  the 
joy  and  wonder  of  a  civilized  world.  The  Joan  Kerlino 
Viola  is  over  three  centuries  old,  the  Violins  of  Stradivarius 
are  over  two  centuries,  several  of  which  having  survived 
a  thousand  calamities,  still  remain  in  their  diaphanous 
varnish  without  a  flaw  or  scratch. 

Does  a  Pag  or  Wilhelmj  draw  ravishing  tones  from  its 
melodious  recesses?  —  they  work  as  all  gifted  artists  must 
work,  guided  by  the  sensitiveness  of  the  fine  nerve-power 
of  touch  as  an  individual  endowment,  and  strenuously 
endeavoring,  by  days  and  nights  of  restless  devotion,  to 
render  palpable  the  thought  that  possesses  them.  Whether 
in  the  sacred  Symphonies  of  Mozart  and  Handel,  or  in  the 
secular  Strathspeys  of  Gow  and  Marshall,  its  capabilities 
of  expression  under  the  hands  of  a  master  proclaim  its 
pre-eminence,  and  bravely  has  it  maintained  its  royal 
supremacy,  though  surrounded  by  numerous  other  instru¬ 
ments  of  more  complexity,  of  greater  size,  and  of  far 
greater  volume  of  sound.  But  the  44  still  small  voice  that 
sings  of  purity  and  love  belongs  eminently  to  the  Violin. 
As  music  is  cultivated  amongst  the  masses,  and  its  refining 
influence  improves  their  better  nature,  softens  their  pas¬ 
sions  and  elevates  their  tastes,  so  will  the  Violin  be  corres¬ 
pondingly  appreciated. 


6o 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


“  By  the  sweet  muse  of  music  I  could  vow 
I  do  believe  it  smiles  upon  me; 

See  it  full  of  unuttered  music,  like  a  bird, 

Rich  in  invisible  treasures,  like  a  bud 
Of  unborn  sweets  and  thick  about  the  heart 
With  ripe  and  rosy  beauty  —  full  to  trembling  : 

I  love  it  like  a  sister.  Talk  to  me, 

Lovely  one  !  answer  me,  thou  beauty.” 

In  former  times  when  Stradivarius,  Amati,  and  Guar- 
nerius  flourished,  along  with  many  other  celebrated  makers, 
the  making  of  such  musical  instruments  was  purely  an  art, 
for  truly  such  makers  were  genuine  artists ;  whilst  at  the 
present  time  Violin-makers,  generally  speaking,  are  only 
traders  in  it,  and  instruments,  as  a  consequence,  are  now 
ostensibly  made  for  the  furtherance  of  this  art,  and  are 
thus  sent  wholesale  into  the  world,  faulty  and  careless  in 
construction  ;  crude,  immature,  and  harsh  in  quality.  The 
Violin  is  a  favorite,  and  ever  will  be,  and  in  view  of  this 
alone  we  shall  try  to  investigate,  to  the  best  of  our  frail 
ability,  its  mechanical  structure,  its  workmanship,  and  its 
known  acoustical  principles. 

The  Violin  is,  as  a  general  rule,  composed  of  seventy 
different  parts,  but  this  is  not  essential  as  we  find  many  of 
the  Cremona  instruments  had  no  such  number,  the  back 
being  often  in  one  piece  and  technically  termed  a  “  whole  ” 
back,  in  contradistinction  to  that  formed  from  two  separate 
plates,  or  pieces,  united.  At  other  times  we  find  the  cor¬ 
ner-blocks  omitted,  and  the  backs  made  from  wood  cut 
slab  wise,  as  in  the  instruments  of  Andrew  Amati,  who 
never  deviated  from  this  method.  The  proper  selection  of 
wood  of  the  finest  acoustical  qualities  was  a  matter  of  the 
utmost  importance  with  the  ancient  artists.  In  many  of 
the  old  Cremona  instruments  the  backs,  as  well  as  breasts, 
have  been  formed,  or  “  pieced,”  from  quite  a  number  of 
different  parts,  all  united  with  the  most  skilful  care  and 
workmanship,  and  plainly  demonstrating,  that  sonority  was 
the  sine  qua  non ,  as  in  Ttalv  there  was  little  or  no  difficulty 
in  obtaining  wood  in  sufficient  quantity ,  although  not  at  all 
times  of  sufficient  quality. 

The  following  table  will  show  distinctly  the  different 
parts,  along  with  those  which  are  sometimes  omitted  :  — 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT 


6 1 


NAMES  OF  THE  DIFFERENT 

PIECES 

USED. 

PARTS. 

Generally. 

Sometimes. 

Belly  or  Breast . 

2 

I 

Back . 

2 

I 

Sides  . 

6 

4 

Neck  or  Hand . 

I 

1 

Pegs . 

4 

4 

Finger-board . 

i 

1 

Nut . 

i 

1 

Bridge . 

i 

1 

Tail-piece . 

r 

1 

Button  for  do . 

i 

1 

String  for  do . 

i 

1 

Guard  for  Tail-piece  String  .  . 

i 

1 

Side-Linings  * . 

12 

8 

End-blocks . 

2 

2 

Corner-do  * . 

4 

0 

Sound-post . 

i 

1 

Bass-Bar . 

i 

1 

Indenting  or  Purfling  *  . 

24 

12 

Strings . 

4 

4 

Total . 

*  Sometimes  omitted. 

70 

46 

Some  instruments  have  a  series  of  rectangular  thin  pieces 
of  wood  glued  across  the  joints  of  the  back  and  breast, 
inside  the  instrument,  to  keep  the  joint  secure,  as  well 
as  to  give  greater  rigidity  to  the  plates. 

Violins  are  made  of  the  following  woods  :  —  Breast,  bass- 
bar,  sound-post,  and  side-linings,  of  Swiss  pine,  lemon- 
tree,  and  ash  ;  back,  sides,  and  neck,  of  curled  plane,  or 
bird’s-eye  maple  ;  blocks  of  sallow,  or  pine  ;  finger-board 


62 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


and  tail-piece,  of  ebony.  Those  are  the  woods  which  have 
been  usually  employed  by  the  best  makers,  but  in  the  com¬ 
mon  Violin  we  find  beech  used  for  the  back,  neck,  and 
sides  ;  whilst  in  others  we  find  the  back  made  of  pear,  or 
cherry-tree,  the  side-linings  of  sallow,  blocks  of  lime-tree, 
etc.  ;  but,  from  the  true  construction  of  the  instrument,  it  is 
evident  maple  and  pine  ought  alone  to  be  used  for  the  for¬ 
mation  of  the  back  and  breast. 

Stradivarius  made  several  Violoncellos  and  Tenors  with 
the  backs  formed  of  poplar  and  pear-tree,  but  his  best  in¬ 
struments  have  always  had  backs  made  from  maple. 

A  species  of  wood  —  the  Azarol  —  common  in  the  Tyrol, 
is  believed  to  have  been  used  by  some  of  the  Cremonese 
makers  in  preference  to  the  Swiss  pine,  and  that  only  the 
south  side  of  the  tree  was  used. 

The  wood  of  which  the  instrument  is  formed  is  a  matter 
of  pre-eminent  importance,  as  it  must  be  thoroughly  sea¬ 
soned,  and  possess  good  resonant  properties.  If  the  wood 
of  the  back  and  breast  is  perfectly  baked  by  exposing  it  for 
a  length  of  time  near  a  fire,  the  instrument  made  from  it 
certainly  acquires  a  crispness  and  intensity  of  tone.  Many 
modern  makers  adopt  this  method,  but  along  with  intensity 
there  is  always  a  harshness  in  the  sound  of  the  instrument,  as 
the  form  of  the  wood-cells  is  changed  by  the  heat,  and  after  a 
few  months  the  tone  of  the  instrument  gradually  deteriorates. 
The  firmness  and  sonority  of  wood  is  somewhat  improved 
by  steam-drying,  and  we  find  many  of  the  pieces  for  Violin 
backs  and  breasts  sold  by  the  musical-instrument  dealers 
have  gone  through  this  process,  whilst  others  again  have 
undergone  an  acetous  purification.  The  following  method 
of  wood-drying  is  adopted  by  several  of  the  Continental 
firms  who  supply  prepared  wood  for  the  fabrication  of 
musical  instruments.  The  wood  is  kept  for  some  hours 
under  boiling  water,  whereby  all  its  soluble  parts  are 
withdrawn.  It  is  next  left  to  dry,  and  then  boiled  for  some 
time  in  a  solution  of  borax,  which  causes  the  albumen  to 
become  soluble,  and  to  escape  from  the  pores.  After  this 
proceeding,  the  wood  is  placed  in  stoves  heated  by  steam, 
and  in  three  days  after  the  commencement  of  this  series  ot 
operations,  it  has  become  quite  dry,  and  to  all  appearance 
well  seasoned. 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT.  63 


In  a  recent  report  by  Monsieur  Violctte  upon  some  ex¬ 
periments  in  which  he  has  lately  been  engaged,  he  states 
that  steam  of  a  temperature  of  480°  Fahr.  is  capable  of 
taking  up  a  considerable  quantity  of  water.  In  his  experi¬ 
ments  he  exposed  several  kinds  of  wood  for  two  hours  to 
the  action  of  a  current  of  steam  at  7?  lbs.  pressure  per 
square  inch,  and  having  a  temperature  of  482°.  The 
wood  having  been  weighed  before  and  after  exposure  to  the 
steam,  it  was  found  that  oak  and  elm  decreased  in  weight 
i,  walnut  and  ash  f,  and  pine  i,  the  wood  having  also  be¬ 
come  stronger,  with  an  increased  power  of  resisting  fracture. 
The  increase  of  strength  in  oak  was  f,  walnut  i,  pine  f,  and 
elm  j.  By  this  process  the  fibres  of  the  wood  were  drawn 
closer  together,  the  color  became  darker,  and  maple  and 
pine  treated  by  steam  at  a  temperature  of  4S70,  were  ren¬ 
dered  far  more  valuable  for  musical  instruments  than  by 
airy  process  heretofore  known. 

About  1S35,  Mackintosh  of  Dublin,  it  is  said,  discovered 
a  process  by  which  he  cleansed  the  wood  of  its  resinous 
particles,  etc.,  without  deteriorating  the  fibre,  but  his  secret 
he  never  made  known.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  a 
lengthened  seasoning  is  the  most  efficient  method  for  the 
present  purpose,  as  it  gives  greater  toughness,  elasticity, 
and  resonance  to  the  wood  than  by  any  artificial  means 
that  can  be  adopted. 

The  celebrated  Parisian  maker,  Vuillaume,  even  went 
personally  through  Italy  and  Switzerland  in  order  to  ob¬ 
tain  his  time-worn  wood.  In  many  cottages  of  the  peas¬ 
antry  and  others,  the  furniture  and  woodwork  of  the 
houses  are  composed  of  pine  of  a  very  fine  quality,  which 
has  perhaps  been  standing  there  for  hundreds  of  years,  and 
which  consequently  possesses  the  necessary  resonant  prop¬ 
erties.  This  valuable  material  was  what  Vuillaume  pur¬ 
chased,  and  as  a  result,  some  of  the  instruments  produced 
from  it,  by  a  few  months’  usage,  approximate  to  the  old 
Cremonas.  Wood  which  grows  in  rocky  and  exposed 
situations  possesses  much  sonority.  No  wood,  under  at  least 
four  or  five  years’  seasoning,  ought  to  be  used  for  Violin- 
making,  and  not  even  then,  unless  it  has  been  known  that 
the  tree  was  ripe  when  cut. 

The  wood  of  the  entire  tree  previous  to  maturity  may  be 
divided  into  two  portions,  the  outer  called  sapwood,  which 


64 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


is  soft,  weak,  and  less  compact  than  the  inner  portion 
called  heartwood,  which  is  the  most  solid.  It  is  through 
this  outer  portion,  or  sapwood,  that  the  sap  chiefly  ascends, 
and  from  its  thus  abounding  more  in  saccharine  and  other 
matter,  it  is  more  perishable  and  sooner  decays.  In  trees 
which  have  arrived  at  maturity,  there  is  no  distinction  be¬ 
tween  the  sap  and  heartwood,  the  wood  being  of  the  same 
texture  throughout  and  almost  uniform.  The  proper  period 
for  cutting  trees  is  when  the  sap  ceases  to  flow,  and  experi¬ 
ence  has  proved  the  month  of  December  to  be  the  best 
time  for  this  purpose,  as  the  wood  which  has  been  cut  during 
this  month,  has  been  found  to  have  always  been  of  supe¬ 
rior  quality  to  any  cut  during  the  other  months  of  the  year. 
The  ages  of  trees  are  generally  known  from  the  number  of 
their  concentric  rings,  but  this  is  not  an  infallible  index  in 
every  case.  Some  pines  are  known  to  contain  1,200  of  those 
circles,  thus  indicating  an  age  of  1 ,200  years  but  the  mean  age 
of  the  pine,  when  it  has  reached  maturity,  is  about  80  years. 
Maples  are  known  which  have  reached  the  age  of  600 
years.  If  the  wood  to  be  used  is  in  the  original  state,  as  a 
log  transversely  cut  from  the  tree,  we  have  merely  to  cut 
the  wood  to  the  centre,  from  the  outer  or  bark  side,  and 
the  pieces  when  so  cut  must  be  at  least  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  thick  at  the  centre  of  tree,  and  about  an  inch  and 
quarter  at  the  bark  or  outside,  when  the  grain  of  the  wood 
will  be  found  to  run  in  the  requisite  direction.  Again,  if 
the  wood  is  in  plank,  it  must  be  so  sawn  as  that  the  re¬ 
quired  plate  will  have  the  concentric  circles  of  the  fibre  of 
the  tree  passing  at  right  angles  to  its  surface,  but  a  few 
minutes’  explanation  from  any  intelligent  cabinetmaker  in 
his  workshop  upon  this  point  would  make  the  matter 
clearer  to  the  uninformed  reader  than  the  writing  of  a 
whole  chapter  upon  the  subject.  When  such  pieces  have 
been  obtained,  and  free  from  knots,  warps,  and  fissures, 
they  may  be  cut  into  the  following  dimensions:  —  Length 
16  inches,  breadth  6  inches,  \  inch  thick  towards  the  heart 
of  the  tree,  and  li  inches  towards  the  outside.  The  pieces 
of  maple  for  the  neck  are  to  be  cut  into  lengths  of  1 2  inches, 
depth  2j\  inches,  with  the  grain  running  on  this  part, 
breadth  if  inches,  this  surface  being  slabwise.  They  may 
now  be  stacked  on  each  other  in  an  airy  and  dry  place, 
with  openings  between  the  layers  to  admit  a  free  circula- 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


65 


tion  of  the  air,  whilst  rain,  as  well  as  excessive  sunshine, 
must  be  excluded.  Wood  seasoned  in  this  manner  will  be 
less  liable  to  tv/ist,  or  warp,  or  contain  fissures,  and  will 
gradually  pass  to  a  dry  and  solid  state. 

When  the  wood  for  the  back  and  breast  has  been  thus 
seasoned,  the  two  thickest  edges  being  the  bark  side  of  the 
tree,  are  to  be  neatly  and  carefully  joined  in  such  a  manner, 
that  one  side  of  the  joined  plate  will  run  perfectly  level, 
whilst  the  other  side  will  be  highest  in  the  middle,  slanting 

to  the  edges,  as  seen  endwise  in  Fig.  5.  , - - - 1 - - - , 

For  the  operation  of  joining  the  two  Fig.  5. 

halves,  the  plane-iron  must  be  very  keenly  sharpened,  with 
the  back-iron  pretty  close  down,  so  that  the  thin  shavings  are 
perfectly  cut  and  not  torn.  It  must  be  observed  that  they 
are  not  twisted,  by  rubbing  the  two  surfaces  lengthwise, 
the  one  upon  the  other  ;  if  the  joint  is  twisted,  the  one  will 
jar  or  rock  upon  the  other.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the 
centre  of  this  joined  plate  contains  the  interior  or  heart- 
wood.  The  joint  is  thus  made  plain,  but  as  fine  and  close 
as  possible  on  both  sides,  that  both  pieces  may  thus  act  as 
one  afterwards,  and  it  must  also  be  cut  so  as  to  have  the 
fibres  of  the  wood  running  as  nearly  parallel  to  it  as  pos¬ 
sible.  It  is  assumed  that  the  resonant  property  of  the 
wood  has  been  tried  and  found  satisfactory  ;  also,  that  the 
maple  is  of  full  figure  and  finely  marked,  thus  conducing 
to  the  beauty  of  the  instrument,  that  the  grain  of  both  back 
and  breast  runs  straight  and  nearly  equi-distant.  In  the 
wood  for  the  breast  the  grain  ought  to  be  pretty  close,  fine, 
and  well  marked,  and  perfectly  straight  from  end  to 
end. 

Presuming  a  tolerably  good  joint  has  now  been  obtained, 
the  next  process  is  to  glue  it.  Carpenter’s  common  glue 
will  not  answer  the  purpose  well,  as  it  is  by  far  too  coarse. 
It  tends  also  to  leave  an  unseemly  black  line  where  the 
pieces  are  joined.  Isinglass  is  often  employed  for  uniting 
the  parts  of  the  Violin,  but  its  proper  manipulation  is  very 
difficult,  as  it  sets  so  soon  ;  and  there  are  so  many  bad  sam¬ 
ples  of  it  in  the  market,  that  there  is  much  difficulty  in 
obtaining  it  of  excellent  quality.  A  very  pure  and  refined 
glue  is  to  be  had,  which  is  almost  transparent,  and  which 
possesses  great  tenacity.  It  is  always  in  pieces  about  9  in. 
long,  2  in.  broad,  and  barely  fs  in.  thick,  and  is  almost 


66 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT 


as  transparent  as  glass.  This  glue  is  generally  sold  at  one 
shilling  per  lb.,  and  will  be  found  of  admirable  quality  for 
Violin-making,  as  well  as  for  any  other  purpose  where 
neatness  combined  with  strength  is  required.  For  the 
Violin  it  is  quite  essential  that  the  finest  glue  must  be  em¬ 
ployed,  as  the  instrument  has  to  withstand  so  many  vicissi¬ 
tudes  of  temperature,  vibration,  etc.  ;  and  it  is  certainly  not 
very  gratifying  to  have  it  constantly  requiring  repairs  from 
the  cause  of  bad  glueing. 

A  small  glue-pot  of  copper  or  cast-iron,  with  a  tinned 
interior  vessel,  may  be  obtained  for  a  trifling  sum,  and  will 
be  found  quite  suitable  for  the  various  operations  of  Vio¬ 
lin-making.  The  glue  is  first  broken  into  small  pieces, 
and  steeped  for  an  hour  or  two  in  cold  water,  after  which 
it  will  be  found  to  dissolve  more  readily  in  the  subsequent 
operation.  Pour  oft'  the  water,  and  place  the  now  swelled 
glue  into  the  interior  vessel  of  the  glue-pot,  along  with  a 
small  quantity  of  water  ;  fill  up  the  outer  vessel  with  water, 
and  insert  the  one  containing  the  glue,  allowing  the  super¬ 
fluous  water  to  escape,  then  place  on  the  fire  until  the  glue 
thoroughly  dissolves,  and  gradually  fill  up  with  water  until 
the  liquid  is  about  the  consistency  of  olive-oil.  A  small 
brush  and  thin  piece  of  pinewood  are  all  that  is  required 
for  spreading  it  upon  the  surfaces  of  the  articles  to  be 
united. 

If  this  species  of  glue  is  used,  care  should  be  taken  not 
to  overheat  it.  A  small  quantity  of  spirits  along  with  a 
few  drops  of  creosote,  may  be  advantageously  added  to  the 
solution,  as  this  tends  to  strengthen  it ;  and  by  this  method 
it  will  also  keep  from  mould. 

The  two  halves  of  the  back  being  now  properly  jointed, 
place  one  in  the  bench-vice,  joint-side  upwards  ;  hold  the 
other  half  with  the  jointed  surface  running  along  the  former, 
and  resting  on  it  edgewise  ;  cover  both  surfaces  with  hot 
glue  of  a  somewhat  thin  consistency  ;  place  the  now  glued 
surface  of  the  detached  half  upon  the  surface  of  the  fixed 
one  ;  slide  the  upper  surface  upon  the  under,  longitudinally 
and  evenly,  forcing  out  the  interposed  glue,  when,  after  a 
short  time,  the  glue  will  set,  as  will  be  shown  bv  the 
intense  bindingof  the  plates  together.  If  the  joint  has  been 
well  made  the  glue  will  gradually  set  stifle  r  as  the  surfaces 
are  rubbed,  but  if  any  part  is  “swimming”  the  halves 


THE  VIOLIN •  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


67 


must  be  separated  and  rejointed.  When  the  glue  sets, 
have  them  in  proper  positions,  as  ends  and  sides  square ; 
let  them  remain  in  the  vice  for  a  short  time,  until  the  ioint 
firms  somewhat,  after  which,  carefully  place  them  in  some 
dry  place  until  the  glue  dries,  which,  in  the  summer  time,  will 
be  in  from  eight  to  ten  hours,  according  to  the  quality  of  glue. 
The  breast  is  glued  in  a  precisely  similar  manner.  Some 
nakers  cramp  the  two  plates  together  ;  but  by  this  method 
die  joining  is  never  so  firm,  neither  does  the  joint  remain 
so  firm  as  it  appears  when  newly  taken  from  the  cramp, 
but  almost  invariably  slightly  opens  afterwards.  If  the 
weather  is  cold  the  two  plates  may  be  slightly  warmed, 
previous  to  glueing ;  but  the  planed  surfaces  must  be 
kept  as  clean  as  possible,  and  free  from  fingering,  as  the 
glue  will  not  adhere  properly  if  the  joined  surfaces  have 
been  greased  by  the  warm  hand  or  fingers.  In  warming 
the  plates,  the  maple  especially,  avoid  all  excessive  heating, 
or  it  will  be  found  that  what  was  originally  an  almost  in¬ 
visible  joint,  will  be  found,  after  glueing,  to  be  but  of  a  too 
visible  nature,  as  the  even  surfaces  have  been  injured  from 
the  contractions  arising  from  overheating.  When  such  is 
the  case,  there  is  no  remedy  but  to  take  the  back  to  pieces 
and  joint  it  again. 

When  the  back  is  thus  glued  and  thoroughly  dry.  the 
level  or  under  surfaces  may  now  be  dressed  perfectly 
straight  and  level  with  a  plane  ;  for  upon  this  surface  is 
the  outline  of  the  instrument  traced.  The  model  of  the 
intended  instrument  must  now  be  decided  upon,  whether  a 
copy  of  a  Stradivarius,  Guarnerius,  or  Amati,  is  contem¬ 
plated  ;  but  if  the  amateur  has  no  model  of  his  own,  he 
mav  easily  make  himself  one  from  any  of  the  illustrations 
in  the  Vignette,  as  he  cannot  do  better  than  follow  those  of 
he  old  masters.  For  this  purpose  let  him  procure  a  sheet 
of  tracing-paper,  and  place  upon  any  of  the  outlines  he  may 
wish  to  make  his  Violin  from,  then  copy  off  the  model 
from  the  engraving  with  pen  and  ink.  and  cut  the  tracing- 
paper  evenly  through  at  the  centre-line.  A  thick  veneer 
of  mahogany,  or  hardwood,  of  the  requisite  size  may  now 
be  obtained.  Strip  one  edge  straight  with  the  plane  ;  place 
traced  design  upon  the  veneer,  with  the  centre  edge  close 
and  even  upon  the  straight  .edge  of  veneer ;  paste  down, 
and  when  dry,  cut  the  curved  part  to  inked  outline  with 


68 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


knife,  and  finish  carefully  with  a  file.  This  simple  and 
easy  prepared  model  will  be  found  to  answer  every  de¬ 
sired  purpose  quite  efficiently.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
amateur  maker  has  a  cherished  instrument  which  he  wishes 
to  copy,  dissimilar  to  any  of  the  foregoing  patterns,  he 
must  model  an  outline  from  his  favorite  instrument.  This 
is  a  simple  matter  if  he  has  had  the  instrument  to  pieces, 
as  he  has  only  to  trace  the  outline  of  the  breast ;  but 
when  the  instrument  is  whole,  the  following  method  may 
'be  adopted.  In  a  piece  of  thin  hardwood  of  proper  dimen¬ 
sions,  cut  out  an  elongated  opening  of  a  guitar  shape, 
sufficiently  large  to  allow  the  higher  parts  of  the  arching 
of  the  back  of  the  Violin  to  pass  through,  and  the  edges  to 
rest  upon  the  surface;  then  trace  the  outline  with  a  small 
drawpoint  or  tracer.  Upon  the  dressed  level  surface  of 
the  back,  place  the  model,  and  trace  off  the  design  care¬ 
fully  with  the  drawpoint.  If  the  first  form  of  model  is 
chosen,  trace  off  one  half  by  placing  the  model  close  and 
even  with  the  line  of  the  joint,  then  turn  over  the  model  up¬ 
on  the  other  side  of  the  surface,  and  complete  the  tracing  of 
the  outline.  It  will  save  trouble  in  re-measurements  hereafter 
if  the  joint  is  thus  kept  running  exactly  through  the  centre  of 
the  back,  and  if  the  back  is  to  be  made  from  a  whole  pattern, 
then  it  must  be  placed  so  as  to  have  this  line  passing  through 
its  centre.  After  the  design  of  the  back  is  thus  marked,  the 

plate  is  to  be  fixed  in  the  vice,  and 
with  a  bow-saw,  as  shown  in  Fig.  6 
—  which  may  be  obtained  for  a  few 
shillings  —  the  design  is  to  be  cut 
out  by  sawing  pretty  close  to  the 
traced  line.  The  saw  should  be  kept 
as  square  as  possible,  by  doing  so  it 
will  save  the  trouble  of  after-paring, 
but  the  traced  line  should  be  left  quite  clear.  When  this  is 
accomplished,  the  edges  may  be  completed  by  paring  with 
the  gouge  and  chisel,  and  finally  finished  to  the  line 
with  a  file. 

The  models  for  the  arching  of  the  back  may  now  be  pre¬ 
pared,  as  in  the  early  part  of  the  subsequent  operations 
they  are  required.  Many  makers  use  no  models  for  this 
purpose,  merely  working  by  eyesight  alone  ;  but  if  the 
amateur  has  any  regard  for  the  internal  volume  of  air  to 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


69 


correspond  harmoniously  as  a  whole,  he  will  find  the  ben¬ 
efit  of  making  and  working  to  models  taken  from  an 
excellent  instrument.  Four  of  those  models  are  required 
for  the  back,  which  may  be  made  in  the  following  manner. 
In  a  piece  of  mahogany  about  15  inches  long,  in.  broad, 
and  to  in.  thick,  cut  an  elongated  curve,  place  this  perpen¬ 
dicular  and  lengthwise  upon  the  centre  of  the  back  of 
Violin,  then  with  a  small  scribing-tool  trace  off  upon  the 
surface  of  the  mahogany  the  arching  of  the  back.  A  shift¬ 
ing-legged  compass  will  answer  the  purpose  equally  well, 
if  the  amateur  does  not  chose  to  make  a  small  scribing 
instrument. 


[ 


3 


Fig.  7. 


Place  a  pencil  in  the  compass,  and  pass  the  point  of  the 
other  leo-  into  a  small  piece  of  cork,  to  prevent  the  compass 
from  scratching  the  varnish,  open  the  legs  about  £  or  t  oi 
an  inch,  let  the  point  with  the  cork  rest  close  to  the  surface 
of  the  Violin  and  mahogany,  keep  the  model  perpendicular 
to  back,  and  draw  the  compass  along  the  arching  from  end 
to  end,  when  the  pencil  will  trace  the  line  of  arching  upon 
the  mahogany.  Tvjark  the  model  at  the  purfling  of  the  back, 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


7° 


cut  one  end  square  to  purfling,  and  have  a  notch  cut  in  the 
other,  so  as  to  fit  the  edge  of  the  extremity,  then  with  a 
knife  cut  out  the  under  wood  to  the  pencil  line,  and  place 
the  model  upon  the  back,  when,  if  any  slight  discrepancies 
occur,  adjust  with  a  file,  until  the  model  fits  accurately  up¬ 
on  the  curvature  of  back  from  end  to  end.  A  representa¬ 
tion  of  this  model,  along  with  the  other  three,  is  shown  in 
Fig.  7-  The  three  transverse  models  are  made  in  a  similar 
manner,  and  are  taken  from  the  archings  at  the  places  on 
the  Violin  marked  respectively  2,  3,  and  4  —  Fig.  8. 

It  will  now  be  evident  there  are  the  same  number 
of  patterns  required  for  the  arching  of  the  breast,  and 
which  are  formed  in  the  same  manner  as  those  already 
described  for  the  back,  in  all  eight,  which  models  complete 
the  outlines  for  the  archings  of  the  instrument.  To  return 
to  the  back,  the  outline  of  which  has  now  been  finished, 
the  thickness  of  the  edges  must  now  be  made  equal.  With 
a  sniall  gauge,  set  the  tracer  to  mark  a  line  A  or  \  in.  thick, 
according  to  the  copy  of  Violin  to  be  made,  as  this  first 
thickness  must  be  somewhat  fuller  to  allow  for  indenting, 
finishing,  etc.  When  the  gauge  is  thus  set  to  the  desired 
thickness,  run  a  line  round  the  edges  from  the  under  or  flat 
surface,  when  the  upper  wood  must  be  removed  with  the 
plane  and  paring-chisel,  until  the  edges  are  all  of  an  equal 
thickness.  Some  makers  have  a  piece  of  deal  about  the  same 
size  as  the  back,  upon  which  the  flat  surface  of  the  back  or 
breast  is  placed ;  an  iron  screw,  with  large  threads,  is 
screwed  partly  through  the  under  surface  of  either,  and 
passes  through  the  deal,  having  a  binding-nut  at  lower 
end  of  iron  rod,  by  which  the  back  or  breast  is  firmly, 
fixed  to  deal.  Others  again  cramp  the  back  or  breast,  flat 
side  downwards,  to  the  deal  plate  with  small  iron  cramps 
—  either  of  which  methods  retains  the  back  or  breast  in 
position  until  the  outer  surface  or  arching  of  the  instrument 
is  completed  ;  but  the  generality  of  makers  merely  hold 
the  plate  on  the  bench,  or  knees,  until  this  portion  of  the 
work,  as  well  as  the  succeeding,  viz.,  the  hollowing  out,  are 
finished.  I  anticipate  the  amateur  will  choose  no  such 
appliances,  but  adopt  the  latter  method  of*  working.  If 
such  is  the  case,  two  thin  rectangular  pieces  of  pine 
may  now  be  glued  across  the  plain  surface,  one  at  each 
end,  crossing  the  joint,  which  will  prevent  the  joint  from 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


7r 


opening  at  the  ends,  as  it  sometimes  does  from  the  heat 
and  perspiration  of  the  hand. 

The  gauge  is  now  set  to  a  distance  a  little  farther  from 
the  edge  than  where  the  indenting  or  purfling  is  to  be 
placed,  and  a  line  traced  round  the  edge  on  the  upper  sur¬ 
face,  where  the  scooped-out  part  is  formed  with  the  gouge, 
leaving  the  surface  between  the  line  and  edge  flat,  until  the 
other  part  of  the  raised  surface  is  completed.  If  the  pur¬ 
fling  or  indenting  tool  used  has  a  movable  slide  containing 
the  cutter,  this  may  be  used  instead  of  the  gauge,  to  mark 
the  line  of  edge  slope,  by  taking  out  the  cutter  and  substi¬ 
tuting  a  small-pointed  piece  of  steel  as  a  tracer. 

The  upper  or  outside  surface  must  now  be  gradually 
sloped  with  the  gouge,  plane,  and  paring-chisel,  until 
it  approaches  in  curvature  to  correspond  with  the  differ¬ 
ent  models,  after  which  the  wavings  or  tool-marks  are 
obliterated  with  a  file,  and  the  surface  finished  with  fine 
sand  or  glass-paper. 

If  the  curvatures  have  been  faithfully  wrought,  the  models 
will  now  fit  upon  the  respective  surfaces  equally,  and  the 
archings  will  bear  no  important  dissimilarity  from  those  of 
the  model  Violin  chosen.  In  cutting  off  the  superfluous 
wood,  the  too’s  must  be  kept  very  sharp,  as  there  is  difficulty 
in  working  cleanly  some  specimens  of  plane  which  are  highly 
marked,  unless  the  edge  is  keen,  and  the  run  of  the  wood 
must  also  be  observed —  in  short,  the  tool  must  always  cut, 
and  never  tear  the  woolly  fibres.  The  amateur  will  find  his 
safest  method  to  be  in  cutting  as  much  as  possible  across 
the  grain  of  the  wood. 

This,  as  well  as  the  other  parts  of  Violin-making,  will  be, 
found  to  take  time,  patience,  and  application,  but  when  the 
work  is  accomplished  in  a  creditable  manner,  there  is  the 
more  pleasure  attached  to  it  afterwards,  and  whatever  is 
worth  doing,  is  worth  doing  well.  When  the  arched  sur¬ 
face  of  the  back  has  been  completed  accurately  according 
to  models,  and  no  prominent  marks  or  irregularities  left  on 
the  surface,  as  may  be  seen  by  holding  it  on  a  level  with  the 
eye  to  the  light,  but  all  beautifully  even  and  symmet¬ 
rical,  the  next  proceeding  will  be  that  of  hollowing  it  out 
and  graduating  it  to  the  proper  thickness.  For  this  purpose 
a  double  callipers  made  of  either  iron  or  hard-wood,  having 
the  ends  polished,  is  necessary,  as  also  a  gouge  or  two,  and 


73 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


a  small  plane.  Fig.  9  represents  the  callipers  ;  Fig.  10,  a, 
b ,  c,  d,  the  shapes  of  the  curves  of  edges  of  the  gouges ; 
and  Fig.  11),  the  form  of  plane.  Some  makers  use  a  tool 
represented  in  Fig.  12,  about  two  inches  long  from  A  to  B, 
f  of  an  in.  broad,  and  about  A  of  an  in.  thick  at  back.  This 
tool  is  used  in  a  similar  manner  to  a  draw-knife,  and  is 
only  intended  for  excavating  the  rougher  portions  of  the 
wood,  and  must  be  worked  rather  lightly.  A  small  knuc¬ 
kle-bent  gouge,  Fig.  13,  will  be  found  extremely  useful,  in 
hollowing  out  the  part  of  the  exterior  surface  adjoining  the 
indenting.  In  Fig.  14  is  represented  another  form  of  cal¬ 
lipers,  which  will  be  found  very  useful  in  taking  the  thick¬ 
nesses  of  the  breast  of  any  whole  Violin  ;  two  different 
sizes  of  this  callipers  will  prove  serviceable,  one  leg  is 
inserted  through  the  f  hole,  as  will  be  understood  from  the 
illustration. 


Fig.  9. 


Fig.  10. 


Fig.  11. 


k 
to 

Fig.  12. 


Fig.  13.  Fig.  14. 


No  invariable  standard  thicknesses  can,  as  a  rule,  be 
adopted  in  the  construction  of  the  various  instruments,  as 
this  depends  upon  the  quality  of  the  wood  and  the  model 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


73 


chosen,  as  Amati  adopted  one  method,  while  Guarnerius  and 
Stradivarius  wrought  each  upon  entirely  different  principles. 
The  reader,  by  referring  to  Chapters  II.,  III.,  and  IV., 
will  easily  perceive  this,  as  well  as  the  various  reasons  for 
departure  from  a  fixed  rule.  The  following  thicknesses, 
as  a  mean  standard,  may  be  successfully  chosen  for  the 
back,  whilst  the  other  parts  of  the  instrument  must  be 
built  in  a  proportionately  harmonious  manner  as  regards 
volume,  or  capacity,  and  toning  of  breast.  Dress  three 
small  pieces  of  hardwood  about  i  inch  long,  and  f  inch 
broad,  to  the  following  thicknesses  exactly  :  — No.  i,  f  of 
an  inch  ;  No.  2,  if  lines;  and  No.  3,  if  lines. 

Those  various  sizes  are  the  mean  thicknesses  for  the  back 
(the  breast  being  always  slightly  thinner  throughout),  and 
are  used  by  placing  them  between  the  points  of  one  end  of 
the  callipers,  whilst  the  other  end  gauges  the  thickness  of 
the  plate. 

At  the  distance  of  6\  inches  from  the  upper  or  wide  end 
of  the  back,  upon  the  centre-line,  make  a  mark  with 
tracer,  and  from  this,  as  a  starting-point,  measure  off  2f 
inches  towards  the  upper  end,  and  2  inches  towards  the 
lower  end  upon  the  centre-line  of  the  back  ;  set  a  small 
compass  to  f  inch,  and  set  off  this  from  the  extreme,  or 
end-marks  on  each  side,  thus  forming  a  rectangular  figure 
4!  inches  long  and  if  inches  wide. 

The  thickness  within  this  figure  must  be  reduced  until  it 
is  the  same  as  No.  1,  or  f  of  an  inch  thick  throughout, 
gradually  but  accurately  decreasing  in  thickness  outwards 
to  if  lines,  midways  between  this  and  the  edges  where  the 
sides  are  placed,  this  part  being  if  lines  thick  in  the  back. 
The  back  may  be  hollowed  out  with  gouge  or  draw- 
knife  described,  until  the  thickness  is  nearly  arrived  at,  after 
which  the  small  plane  may  be  used  until  the  precise  thick¬ 
nesses  are  obtained.  A  line  should  be  run  round  the 
inside  margin  of  the  back  with  the  gauge  at  the  place 
whereon  the  side-linings  will  run,  and  the  thickness  truly 
reduced  to  the  standard  at  this  part. 

The  graduating  of  the  thicknesses  must  be  wrought  very 
accurately,  and  the  interior  surface  finished  with  the  same 
care  as  the  already  finished  outer  arched  surface  —  no 
ridges  or  irregularities  being  left,  but  all  smooth  and 
finished. 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


H  4 

/4 


The  final  finishing  must  be  done  with  No.  o  sand  or 
glass-paper.  It  must  be  observed  that  the  outer  surface  of 
the  edge  of  the  back  from  the  gauge-line  must  be  left  thicker 
for  the  present  to  allow  of  the  indenting  afterwards.  The 
normal  tone  of  the  back  may  now  be  tested,  which,  if  the 
wood  has  been  of  rich  sonorous  quality,  will  be  found  to 
answer  very  closely  to  that  of  the  backs  of  Stradivarius  if 
the  same  model  has  been  adopted. 

For  the  belly  or  breast  the  same  models  are  required, 
which  may  be  made  in  the  same  manner  as  those  already 
described  for  the  back,  and  in  addition  to  these,  a  model  of 
one  of  the  f  holes  must  also  be  taken.  This  may  be  tiaced 
on  paper,  or  parchment,  and  transferred  to  zinc  or  thin 
wood,  after  which  the  pattern  may  be  cut  out.  As  the 
breast  is  made  in  a  similar  manner  to  the  back,  it  would 
only  entail  unnecessary  repetition  to  describe  that  part  of 
it  preceding  the  cutting  of  the  f  holes.  The  same  starting- 
point  is  taken  for  the  breast  as  that  of  the  back,  and  the 
rectangular  surface  of  equal  thickness  the  same  dimensions, 
but  the  thickness  throughout  the  entire  plate  ought  to  be 
half  a  line  less  than  that  of  the  back.  The  former  starting- 
point,  viz.,  6f  inches  from  the  upper  or  wide  end,  corres¬ 
ponds  with  the  inner  or  bridge-notches  of  the  f  holes  ;  a 
line  passing  through  this  point  to  the  centre-line  will  pass 
through  those  notches.  The  sizes  of  f  holes  vary  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  model  of  the  Violin,  and  are  formed  to  corres¬ 
pond  with  the  internal  capacity  ;  when  large  they  make  the 
tone  more  free  and  shrill,  and  when  small  they  cause  the 
tone  to  be  more  round  and  mellow.  The  model  of  f 
hole  being  obtained,  it  is  to  be  placed  in  the  proper  position 
upon  the  surface  of  the  breast,  and  the  shape  traced  upon 
the  breast  with  a  fine-pointed  pencil.  A  thin,  narrow  and 
pointed  penknife  may  be  used  for  cutting  out  the  f  holes, 
which  must  be  cut  by  small  portions,  and  the  knife  kept 
very  sharp.  When  cut,  the  circular  parts  may  be  rounded 
with  a  fine  rat-tail  file,  after  which  the  f  holes  must  be  fin¬ 
ished  with  fine  glass-paper.  1  he  model  is  now  reversed 
to  the  other  side,  and  the  other  f  hole  cut  in  like  manner 
to  the  preceding.  The  bass-bar  may  now  be  made  and 
carefully  fitted  to  the  interior  surface  of  the  breast.  For 
this  no  particular  scale  of  dimensions  can,  as  a  rule,  be 
adopted,  as  much  depends  upon  the  height  of  arching  and 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


75 


quality  of  wood  used  in  the  construction  of  the  breast, 
whether  close  or  open  in  the  grain,  and  the  height  of  bridge 
to  be  chosen  afterwards.  For  mean  sizes,  the  following 
maybe  advantageously  chosen;  length,  io  inches;  depth 
at  centre,  i  inch,  gradually  tapering  to  about  A  inch  at  the 
ends,  and  thickness  about  |  of  an  inch.  For  forming  the 
above,  the  piece  of  pine  may  be  about  1 1  inches  long, 
having  a  line  crossing  the  centre  dividing  the  length  into 
two  equal  parts,  whilst  the  depth  or  breadth  may  be  about 
G  inches;  then,  by  placing  the  piece  upon  a  line  traced 
upon  the  proper  part  of  the  interior  surface,  where  the  bar 
is  to  be  glued,  a  line  may  be  scribed  with  a  compass  upon 
the  bar,  and  the  spare  wood  cut  away  with  a  knife,  etc., 
until  the  bar  accurately  fits  to  the  intended  part  of  the  sur¬ 
face.  A  common  but  very  erroneous  idea  prevails  amongst 
many  Violin-makers  regarding  what  ought  to  be  the  proper 
depth  of  the  bar  at  the  centre.  The  method  alluded  to  is  this  : 
a  straight-edge  is  passed  across  the  two  inner  edges  of  the 
breast,  where  the  centre  of  the  bass-bar  ought  to  be,  the 
depth  is  then  measured  from  the  bottom  of  the  hollow  or 
curve  to  the  under  surface  of  the  straight-edge,  which 
determines  the  required  depth  of  the  bar  ;  in  other  words, 
the  top  surface  of  the  centre  of  the  bass-bar  runs  level  with 
the  two  edges  of  the  breast.  It  is  necessary  that  the  wood 
from  which  the  bass-bar  is  formed  possesses  resonant  quali¬ 
ties  in  an  equal  degree  to  that  of  the  breast,  and  ought  to 
be  tested  previous  to  commencing.  The  proper  place  for 
the  bass-bar  is  about  tV  inch  inwards  from  the  inner  edge 
of  the  lower  circle  of  the  bass  f  hole.  In  the  Guarnerius 
copies  by  Vuillaume,  the  length  of  the  bass-bar  is  such  as 
to  extend  to  if  inches  from  either  end  of  the  breast,  as 
measured  on  an  imaginary  line  passing  through  the  middle 
of  the  bar.  When  the  bar  has  been  accurately  fitted,  it 
may  now  be  glued  in  its  proper  position  upon  the  interior 
surface.  The  next  object  claiming  attention  is  the  bending 
of  the  sides  to  the  proper  curvatures,  and  the  insertion  ot 
the  blocks  and  side-linings.  Numerous  methods  are  used 
for  this  purpose  by  the  Violin-makers,  some  bending  them 
over  a  hot  iron,  whilst  others  bend  them  by  having  pre¬ 
viously  soaked  them  in  boiling  water.  The  generality  of 
makers  use  a  mould  for  this  purpose,  whereby  much  trou¬ 
ble  is  saved,  although  a  few'  adhere  to  the  plan  of  bending 


76 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


to  curvature  on  a  hot  iron,  and  glueing  on  to  the  Violin  back 
separately,  after  which  they  ht  in  the  blocks.  1  here  are 


various  patterns  of  moulds  used  by  the  makers,  some  pre¬ 
ferring  a  half-mould,  whilst  others  adopt  a  whole  one.  A 
form  of  whole-mould  is  represented  in  Fig.  15.  This 
mould  may  be  formed  from  a  piece  of  clean  plane  or  beech, 
about  17  or  iS  inches  long,  and  i\  inches  thick.  The  inner 
part  is  neatly  cut  out  from  pattern,  whilst  two  iron 
screws  pass  through  the  extremities,  one  at  each  end,  and 
bind  the  inner  plates  together.  The  sides  or  ribs,  after 
being  dipped  in  boiling  water,  and  slightly  bent  to  shape 
upon  a  hot  iron,  are  placed  in  the  mould,  after  which  the 
two  inner  halves  are  inserted,  and  the  whole  clamped 
together  by  the  two  iron  screws.  The  blocks  are  added  after 
the  sides  are  thoroughly  dry  and  retain  their  permanent 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


77 


shape.  Fig.  1 6  represents  another  and  better  description 
of  mould.  This  form  of  mould  is  made  from  one  half  of 
the  model  of  the  intended  Violin,  as  will  be  observed  in  the 
illustration.  About  a  quarter  of  an  inch  from  the  edge  of 
the  outline,  are  placed  a  few  bent  pieces  of  strong 
wire,  as  represented  in  Fig.  17,  by  which  the 
linings  are  kept  in  position  upon  the  sides  ;  whilst 
at  the  distance  of  about  an  inch  from  the  edge 
are  fixed  several  iron  cramps,  one  end  being  turned,  Fig-  J7- 
as  in  Fig.  18,  which  passes  into  a  hole  pierced  in  the 
mould,  whilst  the  other  has  a  screw  attached, 
which  cramps  the  corner-blocks  and  sides, 
by  which  a  neat  and  close  joint  is  obtained. 

This  mould  may  be  made  from  a  piece  of  Fig.  18. 
clean  beech,  about  16  inches  long  and  12  inches  thick.  The 
outline  of  the  Violin  from  a  half  model  must  be  carefully 
drawn  on  beech,  whilst  a  line  must  be  traced  neatly  within 
the  outline  at  the  place  where  the  outer  surface  of  the  sides 
would  be,  and  the  whole  inner  portion  carefully  sawn  out 
to  this  inner  line.  The  sides  of  the  curved  inner  part  must 
be  cut  truly  perpendicular,  and  all  the  saw-marks  removed 
with  a  file.  The  sides  are  bent  nearly  to  the  shape  upon  a 
hot  iron,  after  which  they  are  placed  into  the  mould  and 
cramped  into  position  by  the  iron  screws  and  wires,  until 
they  fit  closely  to  the  mould,  and  are  left  to  set  for  several 
hours,  after  which  the  corner-blocks  and  side-linings  are 
fitted  and  glued  in,  and  cramped  as  before.  The  thin  ve¬ 
neers  for  the  sides,  as  well  as  the  small  pieces  for  the  indent¬ 
ing,  can  be  obtained  at  the  musical-instrument  dealers’  for 


a  trifling  sum.  The  sides  must  be  carefully  dressed  with  a 
small  hand-plane.  One  end  may  be  glued  or  tacked  to  a 
flat  and  level  piece  of  board,  whilst  the  other  lies  free,  as 
from  the  thinness  of  the  side  it  would  warp  and  break  if 
placed  against  a  rest.  If  the  amateur  wishes  to  cut  the 
sides  from  wood  he  may  have,  he  can  dress  one  side  of  his 
plank,  and  then  saw  out  the  veneer  such  a  size  as  may  en¬ 
able  him  to  have  all  his  sides  from  the  one  piece ;  then, 
after  dressing  the  other  surface,  he  may  cut  them  into 
pieces  about  15  or  16  inches  long,  by  ii  broad.  The  grain 
of  the  wood  must  run  parallel  with  the  length,  and  the 
veneers  may  be  cut  out  to  sizes  with  a  knife.  It  will  be 
observed  that  the  depth  of  the  sides  of  the  generality  of 


7s 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


good  instruments  varies,  the  narrowest  part  being  at  the 
neck  or  hand,  gradually  increasing  towards  the  button  of 
the  tail-piece,  where  the  depth  is  the  widest.  In  the  Vio¬ 
lins  of  Nicolas  Amati,  the  average  depth  of  the  sides  at  the 
neck  will  be  found  to  be  i A  inches,  increased  to  ii  inches 
at  the  button-end. 

The  side-pieces  being  now  properly  dressed,  are  to  be 
carefully  bent  to  nearly  the  required  shape  upon  a  hot  iron. 
Two  iron  or  brass  tubes  of  different  sizes  will  be  found 
advantageous  for  the  variety  of  curvature  of  the  sides,  the 
smallest  one  answering  to  the  acute  curves  of  the  corners. 
The  tubes  are  to  be  heated  either  in  a  clear  tire,  or  by 
the  introduction  of  a  heated  iron  rod,  but  the  heat  must  not 
be  so  great  as  would  char  the  wood.  They  are  to  be  bent 
gradually,  moistening  the  upper  surface  slightly  with  water, 
which  will  tend  to  prevent  them  from  breaking.  After 
they  are  bent  to  shape,  introduce  them  into  the  mould,  and 
cramp  them  in  with  the  wire  and  screw-cramps,  until  they 
are  close  to  the  edges  of  the  mould  all  round. 

The  next  operation  will  be  that  of  making  the  side-linings, 
which  are  formed  of  pieces  of  pine  or  sallow,  about  A  of 
an  inch  broad  and  fully  xV  in.  thick  at  one  edge,  the  other 
being  only  about  xk  of  an  inch  thick,  one  side  being  thus 
level,  whilst  the  other  or  outer  side  is  sloped.  They  are 
glued  to  the  inside  of  the  upper  and  lower  edges  of  the 
sides,  and  may  be  bent  into  shape  upon  the  hot  tubes,  or  dip¬ 
ping  them  into  boiling  water.  The  corner  and  end-blocks 
are  also  made  of  pine  or  sallow,  and  must  be  neatly  fitted 
to  their  respective  places. 

The  corner-blocks  are  from  1  to  i  inch  in  length  across 
the  upper  surface,  the  end-block  at  the  button,  about  f 
inch  at  the  thickest  part,  and  of  a  semi-elliptical  outline, 
whilst  the  neck-block  is  made  similar  to  the  former,  but  of 
a  somewhat  larger  size.  All  the  above  pieces  require 
to  be  neatly  fitted  to  the  sides,  being  quite  close  all  round, 
whilst  the  under  and  upper  surfaces  of  the  blocks  must  fit 
evenly  against  the  back  and  breast.  The  side-linings  and 
corner-blocks  being  prepared,  they  are  glued  to  the  sides 
and  corners,  and  cramped  all  round  into  position,  the  former 
being  placed  with  the  level  surface  upon  the  sides,  with  the 
thick  edge  outermost,  after  which  they  are  left  in  the  mould 
for  several  hours  to  dry.  If  the  whole  model  is  adopted, 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


79 

the  side-linings  can  be  kept  in  position  by  the  American 
clips,  such  as  photographers  use,  and  which  are  sold  at  is. 
per  dozen  ;  a  representation  of  which  is  shown  in  Fig.  19. 

The  end-blocks  are  not  attached  until  the  other  half  of 
the  sides,  corner-blocks,  and  linings  are  finished,  'which  is 
merely  a  repetition  in  manipulation  of  the  preced¬ 
ing  description.  The  blocks  are  made  slightly 
deeper  at  first  than  required,  that  they  may  be 
truly  fitted  to  the  back  and  breast  afterwards,  and 
the  length  of  that  part  of  the  sides  and  linings 
which  would  run  upon  the  centre-line  is  kept  full, 
that  a  neat  joint  may  be  obtained  when  the  end- 
blocks  are  attached.  The  first  half,  being  dry  in 
the  mould,  may  now  be  finished,  by  removing  all 
traces  of  superfluous  glue  from  the  joinings,  and 
cleaning  the  whole  with  fine  glass-paper,  but  the  Fig.  19. 
glass-paper  must  be  very  fine,  so  as  not  to  leave  the  slight¬ 
est  roughness  of  surface. 

The  two  end-blocks  having  been  made,  two  lines  maybe 
traced  dowm  the  outside  centre  of  each,  after  which  the 
blocks  are  to  be  fitted  to  their  places  upon  the  ends  of  the 
back,  with  the  bisecting  lines  running  exactly  upon  the  centre 
line  of  the  back  of  the  Violin.  They  are  to  be  firmly  glued 
on  the  end  surfaces,  and  cramped  down  until  the  joints  are 
thoroughly  dry.  The  two  halves  of  the  instrument,  com¬ 
prising  sides,  corner-blocks,  and  linings,  having  been  pre¬ 
pared  as  described,  are  to  be  accurately  fitted  upon  the 
back.  For  this  purpose  one  half  may  be  adjusted 
first,  and  cramped  down  upon  the  back  with  the 
wooden  cramps,  as  shown  in  Fig.  20,  the  ends 
being  cut  the  exact  length,  which  will  be  square 
from  the  centre  line  of  the  back,  after  which  the 
whole  may  be  glued  by  unscrewing  a  few  of  the 
cramps,  bv  which  means  the  glue  can  be  traced 
in  the  joint  little  by  little,  then  rescrewing  the 
cramps  as  before,  until  the  whole  of  the  joining 
of  the  sides,  with  the  back,  and  half  of  the  end- 
blocks  is  completed.  When  this  portion  is  thor¬ 
oughly  set  and  dry,  the  other  half  may  be  Fig.  2a 
attached  in  a  similar  manner,  but  instead  of  glueing  on  the 
whole  of  the  sides,  a  portion  of  each  end  may  be  left  unglued 
for  the  present,  and  allowed  to  project  over  the  two  glued  ends 


8o 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


of  the  other  half,  as  by  this  means  the  joinings  can  be  easily 
and  accurately  fitted  afterwards.  When  the  whole  is  dry, 
the  two  ends  of  the  sides  may  be  cut  to  the  proper  length, 
and  glued  to^  the  end-blocks  and  back.  The  side-linfngs 
should  also  fit  closely  to  the  surfaces  of  sides,  blocks,  and 
back,  and  no  openings  or  crevices  be  found,  as  all  should 
be  neatly  joined,  that  the  whole  may  act  as  a  single  piece 
afterwards.  The  French  method  of  uniting  the  sides,  is 
by  having  blocks  and  corner-pieces  attached  round  a  mould, 
glueing  on  the  back,  and  then  cutting  the  blocks  free  from 
the  mould. 

The  neck  or  hand  of  the  instrument  next  claims  atten¬ 
tion.  If  the  amateur  wishes  to  form  the  hand  and  scroll 
from  any  favorite  Violin,  he  must  make  himself  a  pattern 
from  such.  This  he  can  readily  accomplish  by  tracing 
such  model  upon  a  thin  veneer  of  hardwood,  or  thin 
plate  of  sheet  zinc,  carefully  observing  the  copying  of  the 
curves  of  the  scroll,  as  well  as  the  angle  which  the  neck 
makes  with  the  body  of  the  Violin.  Having  selected  a 
piece  of  maple  with  the  fibres  running  properly,  as  men¬ 
tioned  in  the  early  part  of  this  chapter,  he  must  square  it 
up,  and  upon  the  grained  surface  trace  the  design,  leaving 
the  wood  longer  than  actually  required  hereafter,  in  order 
to  accomplish  the  joining  of  the  extremity  of  the  neck 
to  the  body  of  the  instrument.  He  must  carefully 
trace  the  scroll  with  draw-point  and  compass,  having 
the  centres  exactly  opposite.  The  peg-box  must  be 
neatly  mortised  out  with  a  small  chisel,  the  spirals  of 
the  scroll  cut  gradually  into  shape  with  small  gouges, 
the  marks  obliterated  with  a  round  file,  and  the 
whole  finished  with  glass-paper.  The  proper  places 
for  the  peg-holes  are  to  be  marked  out  and  pierced 
with  a  bradawl,  or  small  bit,  then  a  tapered  bit, 
of  the  form  of  Fig.  21,  may  be  used  to  cut  them  to 
the  conical  form.  The  young  amateur  will  no  doubt 
find  some  difficulty  in  his  first  attempt  at  this  opera¬ 
tion —  the  making  of  the  hand  —  but  the  manipula¬ 
tion  will  prove  easier  to  him  after  a  few  trials.  Fin¬ 
ished  hands  are  now  sold  by  the  musical-instrument 
o  dealers,  at  prices  ranging  from  6d.  to  2s.,  accord- 
“  ing  to  quality  and  finish  —  thus,  if  the  amateur 
gets  baffled  in  his  first  attempt,  his  wants  will  be  met  at  a 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


8 1 


small  outlay.  The  neck  must  be  adjusted  very  accurately 
to  the  body  of  the  instrument,  not  only  as  regards  angu¬ 
lar  position,  but  also  that  it  maybe  in  a  line  with  the  centre 
of  the  Violin.  The  proper  angle  for  the  neck  is  such,  that 
the  centre  of  the  scroll  lies  in  a  line  with  the  edge  of  the 
back  ot  the  instrument,  as  seen  from  the  opposite  extremity  ; 
but  the  young  amateur  must  observe,  in  the  adjustment  of 
the  neck,  that  the  finger-board  be  afterwards  at  the  proper 
height  from  the  breast.  The  degree  of  elevation  of  the 
finger-board  depends  upon  the  model  of  the  Violin  chosen  ; 
but  as  a  mean,  the  height  from  the  extreme  end  of  the  fin¬ 
ger-board  to  the  surface  of  the  breast  in  the  centre,  may  be 
taken  as  in.  ;  but  no  definite  elevation  can,  as  a  rule,  be 
laid  down.  The  amateur  must  decide  upon  this  from  the 
intended  height  of  his  bridge.  The  belly  may 
be  cramped  down  on  the  sides  with  a  few  of 
the  wooden  screw-cramps,  and  the  hand  lightly 
fixed  to  the  instrument  with  a  cramp,  such  as 
shown  in  Fig.  22,  when  the  following  simple 
method  will  suffice  for  the  adjustment  of  the 
neck.  Take  a  piece  of  thin  wood  about  1 7  in. 
long  and  |  in.  broad,  having  one  edge  perfectly 
straight,  lightly  tack  this  veneer  to  the  upper 
surface  of  the  neck,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  have 
the  straight  edge  running  in  a  line  exactly 
through  the  centre  of  its  length  ;  by  this  it  will  Fig.  22. 
be  readily  perceived  that  the  neck  will  be  in  its  proper 
position,  when  the  joint  is  such  that  the  edge  of  the 
veneer  is  exactly  in  a  line  with  the  centre-line  of  the 
belly,  and  its  lower  surface  will  coincide  with  that 
of  the  finger-board,  from  which  the  proper  height 
may  be  easily  arrived  at.  The  neck  being  properly  ad¬ 
justed,  and  a  joint  obtained  to  meet  the  required  demands, 
it  must  be  firmly  glued  into  its  proper  position,  and  cramped 
for  several  hours,  until  the  joining  gets  thoroughly  dry. 
It  is  to  be  understood  that  the  preceding  description  is 
applicable  to  a  plain  joint,  where  the  neck  is  merely  glued 
to  the  outside  of  the  body  of  the  Violin,  but  in  numerous 
cases  a  part  of  the  neck  is  let  into  the  body,  having  a  saw- 
kerf  near  to  the  extremity,  through  which  part  of  the  sides 
are  inserted  ;  but  by  the  first  method,  if  the  joint  is  well 
fitted  and  glued,  it  will  be  found  quite  efficient  to  withstand 


82 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


all  tension  and  pressure  to  which  the  instrument  is  neces¬ 
sarily  subjected.  If  this  plan  is  had  recourse  to,  the  join¬ 
ing  will  be  much  simplified  by  observing  to  place  the  end- 
block  and  sides  quite  square  upon  the  back  ;  then,  when 
the  proper  angle  for  the  fitting  of  the  neck  is  once  obtained, 
cut  the  model  to  the  same  angle,  which  will  greatly  facili¬ 
tate  the  amateur  in  the  joining  of  this  part  to  the  instru¬ 
ment  in  subsequent  operations,  if  the  same  model  is 
chosen. 

The  dovetailing  the  end  of  the  neck  into  the  Violin  re¬ 
quires  great  care  bestowed  upon  the  fitting.  In  order  to 
do  so,  draw  a  line  across  the  place  where  the  nut  is  sup¬ 
posed  to  be,  and  from  this  line,  at  a  distance  of  5!  in.,  draw 
another  line  across  the  neck.  Let  this  line  be  square  with 
the  centre-line  which  has  been  previously  drawn  up  the 
middle  of  the  neck.  The  neck  must  be  made  the  same 
breadth  as  the  finger-board,  and  bevelled  off  at  both  sides, 
until  it  is  about  »  in.  broad  at  the  bottom  part,  where  it  is 
joined  to  the  back.  Now,  from  the  two  sides  and  the  cross- 
line  at  5^  in.  from  the  nut,  let  there  be  lines  drawn  at  an 
angle  of  80I  degrees  with  the  upper  surface,  and  at  the 
same  angle  draw  another  line  on  each  side  about  f  in. 
nearer  the  end,  then  let  the  wood  be  pared  off  to  those 
latter  lines,  when  the  dovetail  will  come  back  to  the  first 
drawn  lines,  and  is  precisely  in  the  middle  of  the  end.  This 
dovetail  will  be  about  f  in.  thick  at  top,  tapering  down  to 
about  |  in.  Dovetail  it  also  across  the  bottom.  It  will  be 
found  that  the  dovetail  up  the  sides  stops  about  I  in.  from 
the  top  surface,  this  allows  for  the  thickness  of  the  belly, 
and  the  proper  clearance  and  height  of  the  finger-board.  Let 
a  corresponding  dovetail  be  now  cut  in  the  end,  or  neck- 
block.  Draw  the  exact  size  of  it  upon  the  sides,  and  the 
distance  inwards  upon  the  block.  In  cutting  down  the 
sides,  leave  l  in.  at  the  bottom,  bevel  the  dovetail  down¬ 
wards,  until  the  bottom  is  through  the  block  to  the  back. 
Let  it  be  carefully  observed,  as  formerly,  that  the  neck  is 
in  proper  line  with  the  centre  of  the  back.  If  the  neck  is 
awry,  pare  a  little  off  the  long  side  of  the  dovetail,  until  all 
is  straight,  and  find  if  the  set  of  the  neck  is  at  a  proper 
angle.  Place  the  finger-board  and  belly  on,  and  let  the 
distances  from  the  top-surfaces  of  each  be  rather  over  f  in. 
In  obtaining  this  height  you  may  require  to  re-set  the  neck, 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


83 

by  paring  off  a  small  portion,  if  it  is  too  high,  in  order  to 
set  it  back  a  little.  When  the  neck  is  properly  fitted,  heat 
it,  and  run  the  glue  upon  the  dovetail  in  the  block,  as  well 
as  upon  the  neck,  and  cramp  down. 

After  the  hand  has  been  properly  attached,  the  belly  may 
be  glued  upon  the  instrument.  Previous  to  this,  the  edges 
of  the  sides  and  blocks,  as  well  as  the  interior  of  the  instru¬ 
ment,  must  be  quite  clean  and  finished,  and  every  trace  of 
superfluous  glue  removed.  The  belly  may  now  be  cramped 
down  upon  the  sides,  and  care  be  taken  that  a  uniform  dis¬ 
tance  is  maintained  between  the  sides,  and  the  outer  edge, 
all  around  the  instrument.  If  the  sides  have  been  attached 
to  the  back,  slanting,  or  off  the  perpendicular,  those  un¬ 
seemly  faults  will  now  appear  very  glaringly,  as  the  dis¬ 
tance  between  the  edge  of  the  belly  and  the  sides  will  vary 
with  almost  every  curve.  The  belly  being  cramped  down 
with  a  suflieient  number  of  the  wooden  screws,  one  side 
may  be  loosened,  and  a  covering  of  hot,  thin  glue  traced 
all  round  the  inner  surfaces  to  be  attached  ;  this  is  now  to 
be  firmly  cramped,  until  every  part  of  the  joint  is  close  ; 
the  screws  from  the  other  half  are  then  to  be  removed, 
after  which  it  is  to  be  attached  in  a  similar  manner.  The 
last  work  having  well  dried,  the  next  step  is  the  indenting, 
or  purfling  of  the  instrument  —  although  some  makers  do 
this  part  of  the  work  immediately  after  they  have  formed 
the  back  and  breast ;  but  this  is  a  matter  of  no  great  impor¬ 
tance,  unless  bad  work  has  been  displayed  in  attaching  the 
sides. 

The  edges  are  to  be  rounded  and  finished  previous  to 
running  the  indenting  along  the  surfaces.  For  the  purfling 
many  forms  of  tools  are  used,  but  the  one  represented  in 
Fig.  23,  although  original ,  will  be  found  to  answer  the 
purpose  thoroughly.  By  this  instrument,  it  will  be  per¬ 
ceived  we  can  vary  the  distances  from  the  edges,  to  imitate 
any  model  chosen.  The  two  cutters  are  thin  pieces  of 
steel,  sharpened  at  an  angle,  with  a  shoulder  left  of  the 
necessary  thickness,  so  that  the  groove  cut  may  fit  the  in¬ 
denting  strips.  The  cutters  are  kept  in  position  by  the 
screw  a.  Fig.  24,  a  represents  one  of  the  cutters,  seen 
edgeways  ;  Fig.  24,  b  shows  the  form  of  blade  and  point. 
Fig.  23,  b  is  a  small  screw  for  adjusting  the  shoulder- 
piece  to  any  required  distance  the  purfling  maybe  intended 


84 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


to  be  placed.  This  tool  maybe  made  from  iron  —  with 
the  exception  of  the  cutters,  of  course  —  and  fixed  in 


an  ordinary  tool-handle.  Another  purfling  tool,  but  much 
simplified,  is  shown  in  Fig.  25.  The  body  of  this  tool 
may  be  formed  from  a  piece  of  beech,  having  two  cutters 
the  same  as  the  preceding,  fixed  by  a  binding-screw.  This 
simple  tool  answers  admirably,  and  may  be  easily 
made  by  any  amateur,  or  can  be  purchased  for  about 
2s .  6d.  The  angular  parts  of  the  blades  must  be 
made  thin,  and  the  edges  kept  very  keen.  Either 
of  those  two  tools  is  to  be  held  quite  steady,  and  a 
double  cut  of  the  proper  depth  run  round  the  margin 
of  the  back  and  breast ;  the  interior  wood  is  after¬ 
wards  to  be  cleanly  cut  out  with  a  chisel-sharpened 
awl,  as  in  Fig.  26.  The  indenting  groove  must  be 
cut  gradually  and  carefully,  never  allowing  the  tool 
Ogto  tear  the  wood,  or  slip  from  the  proper  place.  At 
the  parts  of  the  back  and  breast  opposite  to  the  ex¬ 
tremities  of  the  neck,  where  the  indenting  tool  does  not 
reach,  two  pencil  lines  may  be  drawn  through  tho 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT. 


8S 


spaces,  and  the  groove  cut  to  such  lines  with  a  thin 
pointed  penknife,  and  the  wood  cut  out  as  previously. 
The  small  strips  of  indenting  are  to  be  had  at  the  shop 
of  the  musical-instrument  dealer,  and  may  be  obtained 
at  a  trifling  cost.  They  are  to  be  fitted  and  glued 
into  the  grooves  with  thin  glue,  and,  when  dry,  cut 
down  to  the  surface  of  the  Violin  —  the  scooped  out  part 
is  now  finished,  and  the  edges  reduced  to  their  proper 
thickness.  At  this  stage  of  the  work  the  Violin  is  usually 
cleaned  and  varnished,  but,  for  the  present,  we  shall  com¬ 
plete  the  mechanical  part  of  the  work,  viz.,  the  finger¬ 
board,  nut,  etc.  The  finger-board  is  formed  of 
ebony,  and  a  model  of  such  —  as  shown  in  I  I 

Fig.  2 7  —  should  be  made  from  that  of  some  '"''"vl 

well-made  instrument.  A  piece  of  ebony  Fig-  27. 
being  obtained  of  the  proper  dimensions,  the  outside 
parts  are  to  be  dressed  with  the  plane,  the  hollow  surfaces 
scooped  out  with  gouges,  and  the  whole  finished  with  glass- 
paper,  and  glued  upon  the  neck  of  the  instrument.  The 
following  dimensions  of  the  finger-board  may  serve  as  a 
mean  :  —  Length,  10  in.  ;  breadth  at  lower  end  in.  ;  and 
at  the  upper  end,  if  in.  The  nut,  or  small  piece  of  ebony 
which  projects  at  the  end  of  the  finger-board,  is  now  to  be 
formed  and  glued  into  its  place,  the  whole  is  then  finished 
with  file,  and  cleaned  with  glass-paper.  A  small  hole  is 
then  to  be  cut  through  the  tail-block  for  the  admission  of 
the  button-peg,  upon  which  the  tail-piece  is  fastened,  whilst 
a  small  strip  of  ebony  is  glued  into  that  part  of  the  breast 
over  which  the  cords  of  the  tail-piece  pass.  The  tail-peg 
may  be  fitted  in  without  glueing  in  the  meantime,  in  order 
that  the  sound-post  may  be  properly  adjusted  afterwards. 
The  holes  for  the  pegs  are  now  to  be  formed  of  the  proper 
size,  with  the  bit  shown  in  Fig.  21,  and  the  pegs  roughly 
fitted  with  file  and  glass-paper  to  their  respective  places. 
The  small  holes  for  containing  the  ends  of  the  strings  may 
be  pierced  with  a  small  drill.  When  the  foregoing  opera¬ 
tions  have  been  finished,  the  surface  of  the  whole  instru¬ 
ment  is  to  be  thoroughly  cleaned  with  glass-paper,  and 
prepared  to  receive  the  varnish.  A  wetted  sponge  is  now 
to  be  passed  lightly  over  the  whole  surface,  and,  when  dry, 
the  roughness  is  to  be  cleaned  off  with  glass-paper,  and 
the  preceding  operations  to  be  repeated  until  the  surface  is 


86 


THE  VIOLIN:  HO  IV  TO  MAKE  IT. 


perfectly  smooth  and  brilliant,  when  wet.  The  instrument 
being  dry,  is  now  ready  for  varnishing,  details  of  which 
may  be  found  in  Chapter  X.  Many  makers,  previous  to 
this  operation,  coat  the  surface  with  a  wash  of  thin  size, 
which,  when  dry,  is  rubbed  off  with  glass-paper,  and  is 
then  ready  to  receive  a  coating  of  varnish.  When  the  var¬ 
nishing  is  completed  and  the  instrument  dry,  the  peg-holes 
may  be  cleaned  with  a  rat-tail  file  and  glass-paper,  and  the 
pegs  are  afterwards  accurately  fitted  to  their  proper  places. 
The  tail-piece  may  now  be  put  on,  along  with  the  strings, 
and  the  bridge  being  cut  to  the  proper  size  and  form,  must 
be  fitted  very  truly  to  the  surface  of  the  belly  of  the  instru¬ 
ment.  The  arching  of  the  bridge  ought  to  corre¬ 
spond  to  that  of  the  surface  of  the  finger-board, 
if  properly  made.  The  sound-post  is  now  made, 
and  is  formed  from  a  piece  of  straight  and  well¬ 
grained  pine,  having  the  fibres  running  longitudi¬ 
nally.  It  may  be  rounded  with  file  and  glass- 
paper,  and  must  be  neatlv  fitted  at  the  extremities, 
so  as  to  rest  closely  upon  the  inner  surfaces  of  the 
two  tables  of  the  Violin.  To  place  it  in  the  instru¬ 
ment,  a  small  draw-point  may  be  used,  or  the 
sound-post-setter,  which  is  a  long,  metallic  plate  of 
a  rather  peculiar  form,  shown  in  Fig.  28.  The 
proper  place  for  the  sound-post  varies  according  to 
.  the  qualites  of  the  instruments  ;  but  in  good  Violins 
‘F  %it  may  be  placed,  as  a  mean,  in  such  a  position  as  to 
be  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  behind  the  right  foot  of  the 
bridge,  but  when  once  the  proper  place  is  obtained  — 
by  repeated  trials  —  it  should  be  marked,  so  that,  in  cases 
of  accidents,  it  may  be  replaced  in  its  proper  position  ;  but 
the  amateur  will  find  the  necessary  information  regarding 
this,  as  well  as  the  bridge,  in  the  other  parts  of  this 
manual  more  directly  appertaining  to  the  subject. 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT. 


87 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MATHEMATICAL  METHOD  OF  MODELLING  AND 
CONSTRUCTING  THE  VIOLIN, 

By  drawing  and  constructing  the  instrument  according 
to  the  following  method,  very  passable  Violins  may  be 
produced.  Exact  work  must  be  displayed  in  the  divisions 
of  the  length,  as  well  as  in  the  graduation  to  scale  subse¬ 
quently  set  forth.  Draw  a  perpendicular  line  14  inches 
long,  and  divide  this  carefully  into  72  equal  parts,  as  in 
Fig.  29.  Through  the  following  numbers  of  the  graduated 
perpendicular,  draw  20  horizontal  lines,  as  in  illustration  : 


ISt 

Line 

through 

the 

point  8, 

and 

marked 

AA. 

2nd 

ftft 

ftft 

(t 

1 4, 

ftft 

(( 

BE. 

3rd 

ftft 

(ft 

ftft 

16, 

(ft 

ftft 

CC. 

4th 

a 

ftft 

ftft 

20, 

ftft 

(ft 

DD. 

5th 

a 

ftft 

ftft 

21* 

ftft 

ftft 

EE. 

6th 

u 

IV 

ftft 

(ft 

22, 

(ft 

(ft 

FF. 

7th 

« 

(ft 

ftft 

23» 

(ft 

ftft 

GG. 

8th 

a 

ftft 

ftft 

27. 

(ft 

ftft 

HH. 

9th 

n 

<< 

ftft 

28, 

(ft 

ftft 

II. 

10th 

u 

ftft 

ftft 

3L 

ftft 

(ft 

KK. 

1  ith 

a 

ftft 

(ft 

33> 

ftft 

ftft 

LL. 

12th 

<4 

ftft 

ftft 

34, 

(ft 

(ft 

MM. 

13th 

a 

ftft 

ftft 

37, 

ftft 

(ft 

NN. 

14th 

(ft 

(ft 

ftft 

39, 

ftft 

(ft 

OO. 

15th 

ftft 

ftft 

(ft 

40, 

ftft 

ftft 

PP. 

1 6th 

(ft 

ftft 

(ft 

44\, 

ftft 

ftft 

QQ. 

17  th 

(ft 

ftft 

(ft 

48, 

(ft 

ftft 

RR. 

18th 

(ft 

ftft 

ftft 

55. 

ftft 

ftft 

SS. 

19th 

(ft 

ftft 

ftft 

5^. 

ftft 

ftft 

TT. 

20th 

<4 

44 

ftft 

65> 

ftft 

ftft 

VV. 

Now  open  the  compass  to  9  parts,  place  one  leg  on  b , 
and  trace  the  two  arcs  a  a ,  then  open  the  compass  to  24, 
and  placing  one  leg  on  24,  from  b  draw  the  curve  aba. 
open  the  compass  2  parts,  and  set  off  this  upon  both  sides 
of  the  perpendicular,  upon  the  line  C,  as  marked  c  c ,  and 


88 


THE  VIOLIN:  HO  IV  TO  MAKE  IT. 


from  those  points  as  centres,  with  radii  c  d ,  describe  the 
two  arcs  from  a  to  the  first  parallel  A.  Now  set  off  i  part 


as  formerly  on  the  line  13  marked  e  e ,  and  from  those 
points  as  centres  prolong  the  curves  through  f  from  the 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


89 


line  to  D.  Set  off  iii  parts  upon  line  L  to  g,  and  11 
from  g  to  h ,  from  h  as  a  centre,  draw  the  curve  /from  L 
to  P.  On  K  set  oft  23I  parts  k ,  from  this  point  with  a 
radius  from  the  part  of  the  curve  crossing  M,  draw  the 
curve  l  from  M  to  H.  Open  the  compass  11  parts  and 
from  r  r  as  a  centre  trace  the  two  arcs  v  v,  and  from  35  as 
a  centre,  with  radius  r  r,  trace  the  curve  v,  w,  r  r ,  v. 
Again,  upon  the  line  S  mark  oft’  6  parts  x  x,  and  from 
those  as  centres,  with  v  v  as  radii,  prolong  the  curves  from  v 
through y  to  the  line  V.  On  T  mark  oft'4  parts  z  z ,  with  those 
as  centres,  and  radii  to  where  the  curves  touch  V,  prolong  the 
curves  through  a  a  from  V  to  R.  On  G  mark  oft’  244  parts  on 
either  side  of  the  perpendicular  o  0,  with  those  as  centres,  and 
radii  to  the  parts  of  D  where  the  curves  f  touch,  prolong 
the  curves  f  through  p  to  F,  and  on  I  mark  oft'  14!  parts 
as  m  m ,  with  those  as  centres,  extend  the  curves  from  / 
through  n ,  from  H  to  s.  Set  oft'  22  parts  g  g  on  E,  and 
with  those  as  centres,  with  radii  to  where  the  curve  p 
touches  E,  trace  the  curve  through  r  r  to  55.  Now  place 
the  compass  upon  20,  open  it  16  4  parts,  and  trace  the  cor¬ 
ners  y  i-.  Again,  upon  Qpnark  oft’ 24  parts  b  b,  with  those 
as  centres,  prolong  the  curves  from  R  through  c  c  to  d  d, 
and  upon  N  mark  oft'  16  4  parts  t  /,  with  those  as  centres, 
and  radii  to  the  parts  where  P  joins  /,  trace  the  curve  21  to 
d  d.  Finally,  open  the  compass  19!  parts  from  the  point 
49,  and  trace  the  corners  d  d.  The  angles  of  the  curves 
between  L  L  and  JV1  IVI  must  be  foimed  into  a  piopei  shape 
by  a  file. 

The  Proper  Elevation  for  the  Archings  of 
Back  and  Belly. — For  the  longitudinal  model  of  the 
arching,  dress  a  piece  of  wood  to  the  following  dimen¬ 
sions  .  —  13  niches  long,  2  inches  bioad,  and  about  »  inch 
thick  ;  divide  it  in  the  middle  as  at  Fig.  30.  Open  the 
compass  to  three  times  the  length  of  the  perpendicular  6, 
r  r ,  Fig.  29,  or  216  parts,  and  with  this  as  a  radius,  from  a 
perpendicular  drawn  through  <2,  tiace  the  cui\e  b ,  0,  c. 

Thickness  of  the  Back. — From  42  as  a  centre,  set 
off 4$  parts  as  a  radius,  and  trace  a  circle;  all  the  wood 
within  this  circle  must  be  reduced  very  carefully  to  one 
part  in  thickness ;  then  from  the  same  centre  42,  trace 
another  circle  with  a  radius  ol  12  parts  ;  the  thickness  ot  tne 
wood  from  the  inner  circle  to  the  edge  ot  this  second  circle 


9° 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


must  diminish  very  gradually  to  two-thirds  of  a  part,  and 
from  the  latter  circle  to  the  parts  whereon  the  sides  are 
attached,  the  thickness  must  gradually  decrease  to 
«one-half  of  a  part. 

Thickness  of  the  Belly.  —  With  40  a 
centre  open  the  compass  4  parts,  and  trace  a 
circle,  within  which  the  wood  must  be  reduced  to 
two-thirds  of  a  part  in  thickness.  Now  open  the 
compass  9  parts  (8s  according  to  Wettengel),  and 
«  from  40  trace  another  circle  ;  the  wood  from  the 
inner  circle  to  the  edge  of  this  second  circle  is  to 
be  reduced  to  half  of  a  part  in  thickness,  and 
from  this  latter  circle  to  the  parts  which  meet  the 
sides,  the  thickness  must  gradually  diminish  to 
one-third  of  a  part.  In  Fig.  29,  the  two  half 
circles  on  the  right  of  the  instrument  are  those  of 
the  back,  the  semi-circles  on  the  left  represent  the 
graduations  of  the  belly  of  the  Violin. 

The  Sides.  —  The  sides  are  to  be  6?  parts 
wide  at  the  button,  decreasing  gradually  to  6 
parts  at  the  neck. 

Side-Linings.  —  The  side-linings  must  be  i£ 
parts  broad,  and  half  of  a  part  thick. 

End-Blocks.  —  The  upper  block  should  be 
10  parts  broad  and  4  parts  thick,  the  lower  of  the 
same  thickness,  but  only  8  parts  broad. 

Neck.  —  The  length  of  the  neck  from  the  sides 
to  the  nut  should  be  2?  parts. 

The  y*HoLES. — The  length  of  they  holes  is  15 
parts,  extending  from  the  pomt  32s  to  47L  The 
diameter  of  their  upper  circular  holes  should  be  ii 
parts,  that  of  the  under  circles  if  parts.  The  dis¬ 
tance  between  the  edges  of  the  upper  holes  should 
be  9  parts,  that  of  the  interior  notches  1^  parts, 
and  the  space  between  the  edges  of  the  lower 
circles  24  parts. 

The  Bass-Bar.  —  The  bass-bar  is  36  parts 
^long,  1  in  breadth,  and  2  parts  thick  in  the  centre, 
and  this  thickness  must  gradually  diminish  to 


,]g-  3 


o. 


two-thirds  of  a  part  at  the  ends.  The  bar  should 
run  parallel  with  the  joint,  having  its  centre  opposite  the 
point  40.  Its  proper  place  is  exactly  on  the  margin  of  the 
interior  circle. 


THE  VIOL  IN':  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


91 

The  Sound-Post.  —  The  sound-post  must  be  i  part  in 
diameter,  its  place  should  be  two  parts  behind  the  right  foot 
of  the  bridge. 

The  Bridge.  —  The  bridge  should  be  8  parts  wide  and 
6\  parts  in  height.  The  present  description  answers  equally 
to  the  Violoncello  and  Double-Bass,  if  we  assume  the  sides 
of  those  to  be  12  parts  broad  at  the  button,  diminishing  to 
1 1  i  at  the  neck,  and  the  bridge  to  be  12  parts  in  height. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  SAVART’s  BOX  FIDDLE. 

In  describing  this  instrument,  it  may  be  as  well  to  follow 
some  of  the  illustrious  Savart’s  experiments,  by  which  he 
was  led  to  adopt  the  following  form  and  construction  of 
the  instrument :  —  It  must  not  be  supposed  that  M.  Savart, 
subsequently  to  the  formation  of  this  style  of  instrument, 
considered  it  as  of  a  superior  quality  from  its  form  and 
change  of  construction  to  those  of  the  old  makers  ;  on  the 
contrary,  a  few  years  after  this,  the  renowned  skill  and  pre¬ 
eminent  adjustments  displayed  in  the  instruments  of  Strad- 
ivarius,  etc.,  by  their  harmonious  relationship  of  parts, 
unfolded  themselves  gradually  to  his  master  mind,  and  thus 
unhesitatingly  compelled  him  to  acknowledge  that  their 
proportions,  etc.,  were  the  true  standard  for  a  perfect  in¬ 
strument,  as  they  will  ever  continue  to  be. 

When  fine  dry  sand  is  sprinkled  upon  a  vibrating  surface 
it  is  thrown  into  various  symmetrical  forms,  being  collected 
always  in  the  largest  quantities  upon  the  parts  of  the  sur¬ 
face  where  there  is  the  least  vibration,  and  being  thrown  oft' 
those  portions  where  the  vibration  is  the  strongest.  Thus, 
if  we  sprinkle  upon  the  surface  of  a  Violin  some  fine 
dry  sand,  we  will  find  that,  by  playing  on  the  instrument, 
some  of  it  will  remain  undisturbed,  and  this  will  always 
happen  to  be  upon  the  places  where  there  is  little  or  no 
vibration,  and  consequently  those  are  the  parts  least  capa¬ 
ble  of  producing  sound.  We  may  readily  discover  the 
vibrating  and  non-vibrating  parts  by  the  following  simple 
method  :  —  Place  upon  the  surface  of  the  Violin  any  small 


92 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


concave  substance,  a  percussion-cap  or  button  will  be 
found  to  answer,  sound  one  of  the  strings,  when  the  cap 
or  button  will  be  seen  to  be  violently  agitated  and  thrown 
up  from  the  surface  ;  and  if,  whilst  making  the  experi¬ 
ment,  we  hold  the  instrument  level  with  the  face  between 
us  and  the  light,  we  can  estimate  the  distance  thrown,  and 
thus  we  can  vary  the  position  on  the  surface,  until  the  cap 
or  button,  being  placed  upon  certain  parts,  will  remain  sta¬ 
tionary,  which  of  course  are  the  portions  of  non-vibration. 

Thus  reason  and  experience  would  lead  us  to  suppose 
that  the  curvature  of  the  surface  tends  to  be  a  detriment 
rather  than  an  advantage,  but  we  must  not  forget  that  the 
curved  interior  surface  is  very  powerful  in  producing  reflex¬ 
ions  of  the  sound.  Savart,  therefore,  in  the  construction 
of  his  new  Violin,  used  flat  wooden  plates  instead  of  the 
common  curved  ones  ;  and,  in  order  to  maintain  an  equal 
vibrating  surface  on  either  side  of  the  strings,  he  formed 
each  breast  and  back  of  two  pieces  cut  parallel  with  the 
grain  from  the  same  board,  their  edges  being  united  by 
glueing. 

To  withstand  the  increased  pressure  on  the  breast  at  the 
part  where  the  bridge  is  placed,  he  strengthened  this  part 
by  making  it  about  3th  of  an  inch  thick,  whilst  the  thick¬ 
ness  of  the  outer  edges  was  only  about  fsth  of  an  inch. 
The  bridge  was  the  next  part  of  the  instrument  to  which 
he  directed  his  attention. 

What  purpose  the  bridge  serves  besides  being  a  support 
for  the  strings,  is  shown  by  the  following  experiment:  — 
Stretch  a  Violin  string  along  a  plank  2  or  3  inches  thick, 
fasten  the  two  extremities,  and  insert  a  bridge  below  the 
string  as  in  the  Violin.  Get  a  circular  disc  or  plate  of 
lead,  and  place  it  between  the  bridge  and  the  surface  of  the 
plank,  and  upon  this  leaden  plate  strew  some  fine  dry  sand, 
when,  if  a  bow  is  applied  to  the  string,  we  will  find  the 
sand  has  formed  itself  into  a  symmetrical  figure  upon  the 
leaden  plate. 

We  learn  from  this  that  the  vibratory  motion  given  to 
the  string  by  the  bow  is  communicated  to  the  bridge,  and 
from  the  bridge  to  the  leaden  plate  on  which  it  rests,  and 
by  analogy  we  now  know  that  it  is  by  means  of  the  bridge 
that  the  body  of  the  Violin  is  put  into  vibration  when  its 
strings  are  played  upon,  and  are  thus  vibrating. 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


93 


Now  we  also  know  that  the  back  or  under  surface  of  the 
Violin  vibrates  along  with  the  breast,  and  that  this  vibra¬ 
tion  is  communicated  from  the  breast,  by  the  sides,  and 
partly  by  the  sound-post.  All  Violinists  are  well  aware 
that  this  small  wooden  peg  or  post,  which  is  placed  within 
the  body  of  the  Violin,  and  which  partly  helps  to  meet  the 
increased  pressure  (on  the  breast  where  the  right  side  of 
the  bridge  rests  arising  from  the  smaller  strings),  has  a 
material  influence  on  the  tone  of  the  instrument.  If  we 
take  a  rod  of  pinewood  and  place  one  end  upon  the  lid  of 
a  vessel  in  which  water  is  boiling,  whilst  we  apply  the 
other  end  closely  to  the  ear,  or  insert  it  between  the  teeth, 
we  hear  the  boiling  with  great  distinctness,  owing  to  the 
sound  being  conveyed  more  rapidly  through  the  pine  than 
the  atmosphere,  and  it  is  precisely  similar  with  the  Violin  ; 
the  sound-post,  and,  in  a  greater  degree,  the  sides,  convey¬ 
ing  to  the  back  with  immense  rapidity  the  vibrations  which 
have  been  excited  in  the  breast  from  the  strings. 

It  is  essential  that  we  choose  the  best  place  for  the  sound 
post,  for  we  have  seen  that  certain  portions  vibrate  stronger 
than  others,  whilst  others  appear  almost  to  remain  station¬ 
ary  ;  thus  we  are  led  to  suppose  the  proper  place  for  the 
sound-post  would  be  the  former,  viz.,  where  the  vibrations 
are  the  most  intense,  coming  directly  from  the  bridge,  but 
another  important  use  of  the  sound-post  is  in  rendering 
the  vibrations  of  the  upper  and  under  plates  normal. 

A  Violin  always  yields  some  tones  more  brilliantly 
than  others.  Savart  imagined  that  this  might  be  owing 
to  the  curved  form  of  the  surface,  some  of  it  being  non¬ 
vibrating,  or  that  the  sound-post  happened  to  be  placed 
at  a  nodal  or  quiescent  point  during  some  tones  ;  but  as 
the  f  holes  in  Savart’s  Violin,  as  we  shall  presently  see, 
were  cut  straight  and  rendered  easy  of  vibration,  he  placed 
the  sound-post  near  to  one  of  them,  that  it  might  thus  be 
the  means  (as  was  supposed)  of  conveying  powerful  vibra¬ 
tions  from  the  breast  to  the  back  of  the  instrument. 

By  pasting  a  slip  of  thin  paper  over  one  of  the  f  holes, 
the  sound  is  much  enfeebled,  we  may  therefore  conclude 
that  part  of  their  purpose  is  to  establish  a  communication 
between  the  external  air,  and  the  internal  air  vibrating  in 
the  body  of  the  instrument.  Savart,  at  the  time  of  these 
experiments,  saw  no  reason  for  the  f  holes  being  fantasti- 


94 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


cally  curved,  as  a  greater  number  of  fibres  were  cut  than 
if  the  holes  were  straight,  so  he  adopted  this  latter  method 
in  his  Violin.  Subsequently  to  this,  however,  he  clearly 
perceived  why  the  J  holes  were  curved  in  the  instruments 
of  the  old  masters,  for  the  more  we  may  deviate  from  that 
form  the  worse  the  instrument  becomes. 

The  bass-bar  claimed  his  attention  also,  for  by  its  being 
placed  under  the  internal  surface  of  one  side  of  the  breast, 
it  thus  apparently  maintained  an  unequal  elasticity  in  both 
sides,  so,  to  equalize  this,  he  placed  his  bar  exactly  in 
the  centre,  running  down  the  thickest  part  of  the  breast. 

He  now  directed  his  attention  to  the  shape  of  the  instru¬ 
ment,  which,  from  being  formed  in  a  complicated  manner, 
having  its  sides  curved  into  so  many  arcs,  etc.,  and  by 
having  the  two  deep  hollows  cut,  serving  to  let  the  bow 
pass  freely  upon  the  first  and  fourth  strings  of  the  instru¬ 
ment,  appeared  to  him  at  this  time  as  faults  in  its  con¬ 
struction,  as  the  wood,  by  being  thus  bent,  acquired  an 
unequal  elasticity. 

In  his  Violin  he  did  away  with  this  curvature,  and  made 
the  sides,  as  well  as  the  outline,  straight,  the  length  being 
about  the  same  as  that  of  the  common 
Violin,  and  the  width  being  narrowest  at 
the  neck,  and  broadest  at  the  other  end. 
In  this  form  of  instrument  the  bridge  must 
be  higher  than  in  the  common  Violin,  to  en¬ 
able  the  performer  to  play  separately  upon 
the  first  and  fourth  strings,  as  there  are  no 
side-hollows  cut  in  this  instrument.  The 
sides  were  also  made  deeper  than  in  com¬ 
mon  Violins,  and  by  this  means  the  mass 
of  air  was  augmented,  whilst  a  large  vibrat¬ 
ing  surface  was  obtained,  which  would  thus 
tend  to  produce  an  increase  of  sonority. 
The  general  appearance  of  the  instrument 
is  shown  in  Fig.  31. 

Savart  having  presented  a  memoir  re¬ 
garding  his  Violin  to  the  Academy  of 
Sciences,  at  Paris,  they  instituted  a  commis¬ 
sion  to  examine  and  report  upon  it.  This 
commission  consisted  of  the  four  following  famed  men  of 
science  :  Messrs.  Biot,  Prony,  Hany,  and  Charles,  along 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT. 


95 


with  the  following  four  members  of  the  Academy  of  the 
Fine  Arts  :  Messrs.  Cherubini,  Catel,  Berton,  and  Le  Seur. 
The  account  was  drawn  up  by  M.  Biot,  and  the  follow¬ 
ing  is  a  translation  from  his  own  words,  as  given  in  the 
“  Annales  de  Chimie  et  de  Physique.” 

“To  assure  themselves  of  this,”  states  M.  Biot,  “the 
commission  invited  M.  Lefebure,  chief  of  the  orchestra  of 
the  Theatre  Feydeau,  to  make  a  trial  of  it  before  them. 
This  able  artist,  whose  performances  on  the  Violin  —  full 
of  grace  and  sensibility  —  have  been  long  known  and  appre¬ 
ciated  by  the  world,  yielded  to  our  desire  with  much  cour¬ 
tesy  ;  he  was  willing  to  compare  the  Violin  of  Savart  with 
that  of  his  own,  and  which  is  so  full  of  expression  in  his 
hands.  He  played  the  one  and  the  other  in  succession  be¬ 
fore  us,  and  the  new  Violin  was  found  to  possess  a  greater 
purity  of  tone,  and  a  more  perfect  equality  in  the  different 
tones  —  the  last  of  which  qualities  is  known  to  be  very  rare. 
The  new  Violin,  heard  from  a  short  distance,  appeared 
to  have  somewhat  less  brilliancy  than  the  other,  but  this 
brilliancy  decreased  at  a  greater  distance.  The  better  to 
assure  ourselves  of  the  comparison,  we  requested  M.  Lefe¬ 
bure  to  retire  to  an  adjoining  room,  and  play  the  same 
passages  alternately  on  the  two  instruments,  without  telling 
us  which  he  was  about  to  play,  when  they  were  found  so 
nearly  equal  that  the  most  practised  persons  confounded 
the  one  with  the  other,  or,  if  there  was  any  difference,  it 
was  that  the  new  Violin  had  a  little  more  sweetness  of 
tone.” 

Thus  eminently  did  Savart’s  instrument  stand  such  a 
rigid  test  as  has  been  related,  and  such  a  Violin  can  be 
made  by  any  one  possessing  the  least  mechanical  turn  of 
mind,  although,  perhaps,  not  so  very  fine  in  quality.  To 
sum  up,  then,  the  particulars  of  construction  in  Savart’s  Vio¬ 
lin  are,  —  ist.  Instead  of  the  back  and  breast  being  curved, 
they  are  made  of  two  flat  plates,  similar  in  size  and  direc¬ 
tion  of  grain,  \  of  an  inch  thick  at  one  edge,  and  of  an 
inch  at  the  other,  and  the  thick  edges  united.  2nd.  In¬ 
stead  of  the  sides  being  curved,  they  are  perfectly  straight. 
3rd.  The  bridge  is  made  higher  than  usual,  to  suit  the 
shape  of  the  instrument.  4th.  The  bass-bar  is  placed  on 
the  middle  of  the  instrument,  instead  of  being  at  one  side. 
5th.  The  holes  in  the  breast  are  straight,  instead  of  being 


96 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT 


curved.  6th.  The  sound-post  is  placed  very  near  to  one 
t>f  these  holes.  7th.  The  sides  are  deeper  than  in  the  or¬ 
dinary  Violin,  thereby  increasing  the  capacity,  etc- 

About  the  same  time  when  Savart’s  Violin  was  thus  sub¬ 
mitted  to  the  Academy  of  Sciences  for  trial,  we  find  another 
somewhat  similar  instrument  receiving  high  praise  from 
that  learned  body.  This  instrument  was  constructed  by 
M.  Chanot,  an  officer  of  the  navy,  and  also  a  musical  ama¬ 
teur.  The  following  are  the  peculiarities  of  this  instrument, 
—  1st.  The  Violin  is  of  the  form  of  a  guitar,  with  the 
sides  bent  in  the  same  manner,  and  consequenty  has  neither 
corners  nor  inner  blocks.  2d.  The  ed^es  are  finished  off' 
square  with  the  sides,  having  an  inlaying  of  hardwood  all 
round.  3rd.  The  sound-holes  are  arc-shaped,  parallel  to 
the  sides,  and  as  near  as  possible  to  the  bendings.  4th. 
The  bass-bar  is  placed  upon  the  joint  of  the  breast,  being 
exactly  in  the  middle.  5th.  A  screw  is  placed  in  the  end 
of  the  tail-piece,  which,  pressing  on  the  breast,  lifts  the 
tail-piece,  and  lessens  the  pressure  of  the  strings  on  the 
bridge  and  breast  of  the  instrument.  6th.  Passing  through 
the  back  of  the  Violin,  underneath  the  sound-post,  is  a 
screw  by  which  the  pressure  of  the  sound-post  against  the 
breast  can  be  regulated. 

Such  were  the  particulars  of  this  instrument,  which  was 
subsequently  modified  by  the  following,  —  7th.  There  was 
no  tail-piece  or  button,  but  the  strings  were  fixed  to  the 
breast  of  the  Violin,  half-way  between  the  end  and  the 
bridge.  The  belly  being  veneered,  inside  and  out,  with  a 
strip  of  hardwood,  holes  were  cut  in  this,  through  which 
the  strings  were  fixed,  and  passed  over  a  little  nut  (made 
from  the  upper  veneer)  on  to  the  bridge.  8th.  The  bass- 
bar  was  made  in  the  shape  of  an  arch,  and  was  placed 
under  the  left  foot  of  the  bridge  near  the  4th  string,  and 
approached  the  middle  at  the  ends.  9th.  The  sound-post 
was  placed  in  front  of  the  bridge. 

The  Box-Violin,  made  thus  according  to  the  method  of 
Savart,  will  be  found  superior  in  quality  and  intensity  of  tone 
to  many  of  the  common  cheap  Violins.  The  chief  disad¬ 
vantages,  however,  in  this  style  of  instrument,  are  the  diffi¬ 
culties  presented  in  bowing  it,  from  its  great  width  at  the 
sound-holes,  and  in  holding  it  with  the  chin,  as  the  sides 
are  considerably  deeper  than  in  the  ordinary  Violin. 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOIV  TO  MANE  IT. 


97 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  APPEARANCE,  QUALITIES,  ETC.,  OF  THE  VIOLINS  OF 
THE  MOST  CELEBRATED  MAKERS,  INCLUDING  AN 
EPITOME  OF  THE  LIVES  OF  THOSE  EMINENT  ARTISTS. 

The  present  work  being  only  designed  as  an  elementary 
treatise,  space  cannot  be  devoted  to  a  lengthened  memoir 
of  each  of  the  famed  old  artists,  but  a  short  and  rapid 
glance  at  the  appearance  and  qualities  of  their  instruments, 
etc.,  must  for  the  present  suffice.  For  the  information 
as  well  as  gratification  of  numerous  Violin-amateurs,  in 
addition  to  a  general  description  of  the  instruments  of  those 
old  artists,  I  shall  endeavor  to  portray  the  appearance  of 
one  or  two  choice  specimens,  merely  premising  that  it  is  a 
very  imperfect  method,  apart  from  seeing  them,  for  as  all 
language  is  unworthy  when  matched  against  thoughts 
which  speech  fails  to  interpret,  so  do  I  employ  forms  of 
expression  so  rude,  that  my  utter  powerlessness  will  be 
shown  in  every  line  of  delineation  I  write.  This  is,  how¬ 
ever,  the  only  means  in  my  power  of  conveying  an  impres¬ 
sion —  feeble  though  it  maybe  —  of  the  appearance  which 
such  instruments  represent.  I  shall  therefore  commence 
with  the  instruments  of  that  immortal  artist, 

Anthony  Stradivarius. 

The  Violins  of  Anthony  Stradivarius  are  of  the  flat 
model,  the  elevation  of  curvature  not  being  over  five-eighths 
of  an  inch.  It  is  now  well  known  this  model  is  the  best 
adapted  for  the  production  of  an  intense,  deep,  and  full 
tone  —  one  reason  being  that  instruments  of  this  class 
have  the  wood  essentially  thicker,  and  from  this,  and  the 
other  proportions  having  been  so  harmoniously  combined 
in  the  instruments  of  this  maker,  their  unapproachable 
quality  evidently  was  derived.  In  the  flat  model,  the 


9§ 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


vibrations  are  always  the  most  energetic  and  free  ;  whilst 
in  the  highly  elevated  instrument  the  tone  is  feeble,  and 
very  often  thin  and  piercing.  The  first  productions  of 
Stradivarius  were  high  modelled  —  no  doubt  from  his 
being  still  adherent  to  the  form  of  his  master,  Nicolas 
Amati ;  and  even  those  early  instruments  are  known  by  the 
name  of  Stradivarius-Amatis. 

His  next  instruments  were  of  the  flat  and  enlarged  pat¬ 
tern,  with  the  outlines  masterpieces  of  design,  the  arching 
falling  in  gradual  and  beautiful  curves,  whilst  the  wood  of 
which  the  instruments  were  formed  was  of  the  most  choice 
figure,  and  of  the  finest  sonorous  qualities.  The  thick¬ 
nesses  have  been  reduced  with  mathematical  accuracy,  the 
back  being  very  thick  in  the  centre  and  diminishing  grad¬ 
ually  to  the  edges,  whilst  the  tables  or  breasts  are  formed 
upon  an  entirely  different  principle  from  those  of  Amati  or 
Guarnerius.  The  f  holes  are  exquisitely  cut,  and  lie  at  a 
medium  distance  from  one  another  ;  the  edges  and  corners 
are  beautifully  finished  ;  the  inlaying  or  indenting  is  neither 
so  narrow  nor  so  near  to  the  edge  as  in  some  of  the  Amati 
instruments  ;  whilst  the  varnish  is  generally  of  a  cherry  or 
blood-red  color,  although  a  few  are  of  an  orange  or  yellow 
tint.  The  interior  of  the  instrument  possesses  the  same 
perfection  of  workmanship,  along  with  accuracy  of  propor¬ 
tions,  which  could  only  have  been  obtained  after  a  life¬ 
time  of  study.  From  the  present  high  pitch,  etc.,  the 
tables  of  some  of  the  instruments  have  sunk  a  little  under 
the  fourth  string,  which  has  necessitated  the  placing  of  a 
rather  larger  bass-bar  in  the  instrument.  The  Violon¬ 
cellos  of  this  eminent  maker  possess  the  same  admirable 
perfections  of  quality  and  finish  as  his  Violins. 

Fortunately  a  magnificent  specimen  of  this  artist  has 
been  kindly  placed  before  me,  a  delineation  of  which  I 
shall  present  as  faithfully  as  possible.  The  label  in  the 
instrument  bears  the  date  of  1708,  and  upon  measuring  the 
Violin  carefully  it  is  found  to  be  much  larger  than  the 
medium  Amati  type,  being  fourteen  inches  and  one-eighth 
in  length.  The  usual  length  of  a  14  grand  ”  Stradivarius  is 
only  fourteen  inches,  but  in  this  fine  instrument  we  have 
one  of  the  artist’s  illustrious  and  rare  gigantic  forms,  only 
a  few  of  which  exist.  It  is  six  inches  and  three  quarters 
broad  towards  its  upper  extremity,  four  and  a  half  across 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOIV  TO  MALE  IT. 


99 


the  centre,  and  eight  and  five-sixteenths  at  its  lower  or  broad 
end,  with  sides,  or  rims,  one  and  five-sixteenths  in.  in  height 
or  depth.  The  outline  is  stiller  than  that  of  Amati,  the 
shoulders  as  well  as  the  C’s  are  more  square,  and  the  broad 
end  more  flattened  in  the  outline.  The  arching  springs 
straight,  or  nearly  so,  from  the  edges;  there  is  no  dipping 
here  as  in  the  instruments  of  Amati ;  but  the  arch  rises 
gracefully  to  the  centre  and  bends  oft'  on  the  other  side 
to  a  perfect  curve,  flattening  towards  both  ends,  but  never 
losing  its  proportional  line  of  beauty  and  perfect  harmony. 
The  edges  are  heavier  outside  the  indenting  than  those  of 
Amati,  and  the  purfling  or  indenting  is  broader,  both  being 
quite  in  uniformity  with  their  size,  giving  to  the  instrument 
an  honest  appearance  of  strength  and  solidity.  The  corners 
are  neither  too  long  nor  too  short ;  and  the  purfljng,  in¬ 
stead  of  running  to  the  centre,  bends  off  to  their  inner 
points  in  a  fine  graduated  hair  line.  They  holes  are  equally 
as  sharply  cut,  and  quite  as  graceful  as  those  of  Amati, 
although  they  are  a  little  longer  and  more  divergent  as 
they  descend,  still  they  approach  closer  together  at  their 
roundings.  The  scroll  is  large  and  beautifully  rounded, 
with  the  edges  flattened ;  the  box  is  wide  and  strong, 
allowing  plenty  of  space  for  the  strings  to  turn  clear  of 
each  other  on  the  pegs.  The  back  is  of  one  piece  of  richly- 
curled  maple,  the  curls  or  wavings  running  straight  across, 
and  diverging  towards  the  broad  end.  The  rims  or  sides 
are  wider  in  the  curls  or  wavings  than  those  of  the  back, 
and  are  placed  in  a  sloping  position,  which  conduces  much 
to  the  handsome  appearance  of  the  instrument.  The  table 
or  belly-wood  is  very  fine  in  the  grain,  with  a  rich  reed 
like  silver-pine,  which  gradually  widens  as  it  approaches 
the  edges.  The  varnish  is  of  a  blood-red  tint,  with  a  rich 
yellow  substratum  of  a  supple  translucent  appearance,  which 
gives  to  the  surface  the  resemblance  of  a  fine  old  painting, 
bright  as  a  diamond  and  mellow  as  a  summer  sunset.  The 
tone  at  first  seems  muffled,  but  having  a  peculiar  bite,  which 
commences  in  soft  and  distant  echoes,  but  by  a  few  min¬ 
utes’  playing  becomes  stronger,  firmer,  and  more  distinct, 
and  reaches  an  indescribable  richness  and  grandeur,  ring¬ 
ing  out  with  a  bell-like  sonority  from  the  open  G  to  E  in 
alt.  until  it  satiates  the  atmosphere  with  harmony,  and  be¬ 
comes  as  it  were  a  part  of  ourselves. 


IOO 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


“  But,  far  from  fading,  it  but  grows 
Richer,  diviner,  as  it  flows; 

Till  rapt  it  dwells  on  every  string, 
Like  echoes  lost  and  languishing.” 


Truly  to  the  virtuoso  and  happy  possessor,  a  u  Stradi- 
varius  ”  is  “a  thing  of  beauty,  and  a  joy  forever.” 

How  vastly  grand  and  great  is  the  design  which  we  dis¬ 
cover  then,  in  the  magnificent  instrumentation  that  coming 
along  with  such  an  oratorio  of  harmony  that  has  been 
sounding  now  through  centuries,  the  real  causes  of  w’hich 
baffle  our  clever  artists  to  compute.  There  is  in  those 
classic  masterpieces  but  little  necessity  for  minutiae  of  detail  ; 
all  is  colossal,  distinct,  magnificent,  whilst  every  curve  and 
arch  is  executed  in  a  style  of  the  most  perfect  workmanship 
in  those  stupendous  monuments  of  harmony.  It  must  be 
herein  observed  that  those  dumb  — to  the  unappreciative  — 
for 


“  A  primrose  by  the  river’s  brim 
A  yellow  primrose  is  to  him, 
And  nothing  more.” 


—  but  most  eloquent,  to  the  true  artist  —  for 


“  Nothing  is  lost  on  him  who  ^|ps 
With  an  eye  that  feeling  gave  ; 

For  him  there’s  a  story  in  every  breeze, 

And  a  picture  in  every  wave  ”  — 

structures  are  full  of  the  deepest  revelations  to  the  real 
connoisseur.  More  ethereal  tones  were  never  latently 
encompassed  in  wood  ;  a  purer  harmonial  sonority,  waiting 
only  to  be  brought  forth  from  its  unwilling  captivity  by  the 
hand  of  a  master,  never  existed  than  in  some  of  the  mag¬ 
nificent  specimens  of  high  art  which  Stradivarius  fashioned 
during  the  medial  period  of  his  profession.  Those  instru¬ 
ments  combine  all  the  softest  notes  of  the  human  voice, 
they  can  sing  of  love  and  wail  to  you  of  disappointed  love, 
till  they  fill  you  with  a  melancholy  from  which  there  is  no 
escaping,  from  which  you  never  wish  to  escape  ;  they  can 
produce  a  luxury  of  anguish,  a  fulness  of  satisfaction  of 
imaginary  woe,  a  realization  of  the  mysterious  delights  of 
romance,  which  no  words  can  thoroughly  supply.  The 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


IOI 


notes  sink  and  sink  so  low  and  low  with  their  soft,  sad  wail 
of  delicious  woe,  that  the  listener  dreads  that  something 
will  be  lost  in  the  very  struggle  of  listening,  and  there 
seems  to  come  some  lethargy  on  his  sense  of  hearing,  which 
he  fears  will  shut  out  from  his  brain  the  last,  lowest, 
sweetest  strain,  the  very  pearl  of  the  music,  for  which  he 
has  been  watching  with  all  the  intensity  of  prolonged 
desire.  Upon  the  other  hand,  they  can  penetrate  your 
soul  with  a  wierd  joy  and  happiness,  an  ecstacy  of  mirth 
and  fascination,  from  which  there  is  no  release,  for  they 
speak  to  you  as  no  other  instrument  can  speak,  and  reveal 
to  you  with  wonderful  eloquence  the  sadness  or  the  mirth 
which  may  be  alike  produced  from  their  melodious 
recesses. 

This  talented  artist  wras  born  at  Cremona  in  1644,  and 
died  in  1737.  He  appears  to  have  commenced  Violin¬ 
making  at  the  early  age  of  23  years  ;  his  last  instruments 
having  been  made  when  he  was  at  the  advanced  age  of  92. 
During  his  long  and  active  lifetime  he  made  a  vast  number 
of  instruments,  and  his  average  charge  for  each  seems  to 
have  been  about  <£4.  The  Violins  of  this  maker  which  are 
esteemed  the  most  valuable,  have  been  made  from  about 
1700  to  1730,  as  after  the  latter  period  his  instruments 
begin  to  deteriorate  in  quality.  His  finest  instruments  may 
be  said  to  possess  the  following  esteemed  qualities:  —  deli¬ 
cacy,  mellowness,  free  power,  penetrating  brilliancy,  and 
roundness  of  tone.  It  is  related  by  Forster  that  he  sent  a 
number  of  Violins  to  a  merchant  in  London,  Cervetto(who 
was  a  countryman  of  his  own),  to  be  disposed  of  at  a  sum 
equivalent  to  <£4  each  ;  but  the  latter  having  failed  to 
realize  such  an  amount,  they  were  returned  to  the  artist. 

Vast  and  giddy  indeed  are  the  rapid  changes  which  years 
imprint  in  their  onward  course,  for  “time  but  the  impres¬ 
sion  deeper  makes  ”  even  on  Violin  value,  as  where  is  the 
present-day  amateur,  or  connoisseur,  who  would  not  gladly 
bestow  a  far  higher  sum  upon  an  instrument  by  this  re¬ 
nowned  artist?  The  highest  price  which  has  ever  been 
given  in  England  for  any  Violin  by  this  maker,  has  been 
£800,  and  in  Scotland  £55°  (^-54°  ^ias  been  paid  by  V  . 
Croall,  Esq.,  Edinburgh) ,  and  we  learn  from  Mr.  Gardiner’s 
“  Music  and  Friends ,”  that  Mr.  Salomon,  the  Jew,  offered 
eight  hundred  guineas  to  Dragonetti,  for  one  of  his  Dou- 


102 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


ble-Basses  by  Gaspard  di  Salo,  but  with  refusal,  as  he 
would  not  part  with  it  for  a  less  sum  than  one  thousand. 

There  are  a  number  of  instruments  by  this  family  scattered 
throughout  Scotland,  a  few  of  which  are  here  subjoined. 
In  travelling  several  years  ago  through  the  North  Western 
Highlands,  I  accidentally  came  upon  a  Violin  made  by  An¬ 
thony  about  his  best  period,  which  for  many  years  had 
been  suspended  like  a  criminal  upon  the  bare,  sooty,  and 
smoky  walls  of  a  Highlander’s  hut  amongst  the  mountains. 
It  was  in  woful  condition,  having  been  literally  plastered 
or  bespattered  with  rosin  or  tar  to  keep  its  back,  breast, 
and  sides  from  open  rebellion,  by  separation.  The  old 
proprietor  would  not  hear  of  parting  with  it,  it  having  de¬ 
scended  as  an  heir-loom  amongst  the  family.  Upon  the 
continuation  of  my  tour  a  short  time  subsequent  to  this,  I 
met  Mr.  Carte  from  London,  who  had  also  seen  the  same 
shamefully-used  instrument,  but  he,  like  myself,  almost 
needless  to  relate,  was  unfortunately  unable  to  release  the 
tortured  gem. 

Wm.  Croall,  Esq.,  Edinburgh,  has  a  well-known  and 
delicious  instrument  of  this  artist,  dated  1716,  which  for¬ 
merly  belonged  to  the  Count  de  Cessol,  and  is  therefore 
known  as  the  u  Cessol”  or  “  Artot  ”  Strad.  It  is  in  per¬ 
fect  preservation,  of  superb  tone,  and  covered  with  Strad’s 
fine  red  varnish.  This  is  one  of  the  six  instruments  men¬ 
tioned  by  Fetis  as  the  finest  known.  This  gentleman  also  pos¬ 
sesses  an  equally  perfect  but  earlier  example  of  this  maker, 
dated  1702,  of  beautiful  wood,  exquisite  workmanship, 
and  covered  with  rich,  brown  amber  varnish.  Both  these 
instruments  were  formerly  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Laurie, 
Glasgow.  Robert  Butter  Malcolm,  Esq.,  Edinburgh, 
has  a  Violin  by  this  maker,  dated  1707.  It  is  in  ex¬ 
cellent  preservation,  and  formerly  belonged  to  the  Count 
Castelbarco,  of  Milan,  and  was  esteemed  in  all  respects  the 
best  Violin  in  his  famous  collection.  It  was  also  for  some 
time  the  property  of  the  late  Nathaniel  F.  Vuillaume,  of 
Brussels,  and  also  of  Mr.  Laurie,  of  Glasgow. 

Other  excellent  instruments  of  this  maker  are  in  the  pos¬ 
session  of  the  following  gentlemen  :  —  One  belonging  to 
J-  J-  Murray,  Esq.,  Galashiels,  dated  1688  ;  two  to  William 
J.  Laidlay,  Esq.,  Seaclifte,  North  Berwick,  one  dated  1684, 
and  the  other  1712;  one  to  James  Cook,  Esq.,  Glasgow, 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


I°3 


dated  1721  ;  one  to  David  Laurie,  Esq.,  Glasgow,  dated 
1708  ;  one  to  —  Orchar,  Esq.,  Dundee,  1 7  — • 

Mr.  Muir,  of  Leith,  possesses  a  Violin  made  by  this  illus¬ 
trious  artist,  which  was  formerly  the  esteemed  instrument 
of  the  celebrated  Violinist  Viotti  ;  it  contains  the  following 
inscription,  “  Antonins  Sir  a  din  a  rins,  Cremonensis  Faci - 
ebat ,  1704.”  A  splendid  instrument  by  this  maker  is  also 
in  the  possession  of  Sir  James  Clarke  of  Penicuik.  Sir  A. 
M.  Mackenzie,  of  Delvine,  Perthshire,  possessed  an  excel¬ 
lent  Stradivarius,  which  was  purchased  about  twenty  years 
ago  in  Paris  for  £300.  Mr.  Robertson  of  Ladykirk,  also 
possesses  a  Stradivarius  of  the  long  pattern,  a  well-known 
instrument.  John  Ure,  Esq.,  Helensburgh,  has  a  Violon¬ 
cello  by  this  artist,  dated  1725.  I  have  been  informed  that 
a  very  fine  Violin  by  the  same  maker  is  in  the  possession 
of  Mr.  J.  Robertson,  of  Glenisla  ;  but  having  communi¬ 
cated  with  this  gentleman  in  reference  thereto,  and  receiving 
no  reply,  I  am  thus  unable  to  furnish  any  definite 
particulars. 

The  Amati  Family. 

The  oldest  maker  of  this  famed  family  was  Andrew",  who 
was  born  about  the  commencement  of  the  sixteenth  cen¬ 
tury,  and  is  supposed  to  have  acquired  his  knowledge  of  the 
art  in  the  ancient  workshop  of  Brescia.  His  instruments 
were  well-finished,  and  chiefly  modelled  of  a  small  pattern, 
the  archings  abrupt  and  elevated,  with  the  backs  cut  slab- 
wise,  whilst  their  tone  was  sweet  and  mellow,  with  little 
brilliance  or  intensity,  a  distinguishing  characteristic  of 
quality  in  the  majority  of  the  Violins  of  the  whole  family. 
This  maker  wrought  at  Cremona  until  about  1580,  during 
which  year  he  probably  died,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
sons  Jerome  and  Anthony,  who  flourished  at  Cremona 
from  1550  to  1638,  being  partners  for  several  years,  and 
conjointly  produced  many  Violins  of  much  excellence. 
Whilst  thus  associated,  they  built  upon  two  different  models, 
a  large  and  small,  but  those  of  the  large  pattern  ranked  the 
first  in  excellence.  After  working  together  for  a  number 
of  years,  they  appear  to  have  separated,  from  which  arose 
a  change  of  form  and  quality  in  their  instruments.  The 
Violins  of  Jerome  were  generally  of  large  model,  made 
of  excellent  wood,  the  arching  sloping  very  gradually,  hav- 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


104 


ing  high  elevation,  the  backs  often  in  one  piece,  the  var¬ 
nish  mahogany-colored,  and  the  finish  usually  admirable. 
Those  of  Anthony  rivalled  the  preceding  in  finish  and  qual- 
ity,  although  the  wood  is  scarcely  of  such  choice  beauty. 

Having  thus  glanced  at  the  foregoing  makers  and  their 
instruments,  we  now  arrive  at  the  most  renowned  maker  of 
the  family  —  Nicholas,  the  son  of  Jerome,  and  nephew  of 
Anthony,  who  was  born  September  3d,  1596.  His  instru¬ 
ments  are  masterpieces  of  workmanship  in  every  detail, 
possessing  a  tone  of  ethereal  purity,  a  combination  of  bril¬ 
liant  power  and  sweetness.  He  adopted  three  sizes,  a 
large  or  41 grand”  as  this  form  is  now  familiarly  known 
by,  a  medium,  and  a  small  pattern  ;  but  the  Violins  of  the 
two  former  models  are  those  which  are  held  in  the  most 
estimation.  His  instruments  are  of  deep  elevation,  with 
a  peculiar  form  of  arching,  no  doubt  based  upon,  and  per¬ 
fected  from,  the  principles  of  the  curves  of  the  vibrating, 
string  of  the  Violin,  which  bear  a  close  analogy  in  sev¬ 
eral  of  their  forms  to  the  archings  of  our  finest  instruments. 
The  back  and  breast  of  his  Violins  are  thick  in  the  central 
parts,  diminishing  gradually  by  exquisite  workmanship  to 
the  sides,  where  they  are  very  thin  ;  the  varnish,  brilliant 
and  elastic,  is  of  the  utmost  purity,  and  tinted  from  a  shade 
of  amber-yellow  to  that  of  a  cherry-red. 

In  giving  a  description  of  an  individual  instrument  of  this 
celebrated  artist,  I  shall  choose  one  of  the  finest  specimens 
extant,  known  as  the  “  Alard  ”  Amati.  Upon  carefully 
examining  it,  I  find  it  is  a  medium-sized  instrument,  meas¬ 
uring  barely  fourteen  inches  in  length,  by  about  six  and 
three-eighths  at  the  upper  end,  four  and  three-eighths 
across  the  centre,  and  fully  eight  inches  at  the  lower  or 
broad  extremity.  The  outline  is  the  most  graceful  of  all 
the  Violins,  being  exquisitely  rounded,  with  long  pointed 
corners,  the  edges  slightly  raised  and  admirably  rounded 
outside  the  purfling.  The  purfling  is  not 'placed  too  near 
to  the  outer  edge,  but  just  at  a  sufficient  distance  to  give  an 
appearance  of  solidity  with  elegance.  From  the  purfling  the 
surface-wood  falls  in,  or  undulates  all  around  in  a  most 
graceful  curve  or  sweep,  not  too  abrupt,  but  gradually 
rising  to  the  centre,  which  is  finely  rounded,  and  not  by 
any  means  pointed,  or  too  high.  The  J  holes  are  exqui¬ 
sitely  circled  and  cut,  and  so  finely  are  they  pierced  through 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


the  table  as  to  give  them  the  appearance  of  having  been  cut 
by  a  sharp  steel  die.  The  distance  between  the  nearest  curves 
in  the  upper  circles  is  one  and  five-sixteenth  in.,  and  three 
and  three-eighths  at  the  narrowest  part  of  the  lower  circles. 
The  scroll  is  of  a  beautiful  full  size,  perfect  in  proportion, 
and  sharply  cut,  the  edges  being  slightly  flattened,  but  the 
back  part  of  the  scroll  retains  its  sharpness,  although  the 
edges  have  also  been  flattened.  The  box  is  of  medium  width, 
with  strong  edges,  and  presents  an  appearance  of  much 
elegance,  united  to  stability  and  strength.  The  back  is 
formed  of  two  pieces  of  medium  curled  maple,  of  a  very 
rich  quality,  with  the  wavings  almost  straight  across.  The 
sides  are  one  and  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch  in  height,  with 
the  curl  of  the  wood  rather  wider  than  that  of  the  back, 
and  sloping  all  around  as  in  the  Stradivarius  Violin  pre¬ 
viously  alluded  to.  The  table-pine  is  of  medium  width  of 
reed,  which  increases  towards  the  outer  edges,  and  the 
lines  run  perfectly  straight  from  one  end  to  the  other.  Add 
to  this  a  translucent  coating  of  a  most  beautiful  glistening 
reddish-brown,  or  maroon  tint,  which,  to  use  a  homely 
expression,  entirely  covers  it  like  a  vitrified  mass  of  red- 
current  jelly,  or  liquified  ruby,  and  the  young  amateur  will 
have  a  faint  idea  of  the  representation  of  what  a  Nicholas 
Amati  Violin  is  like,  as  it  issued  from  the  master’s  hands. 
This  excellent  gem  has  neither  internal  nor  external  crack 
or  flaw,  and  the  original  hand  lengthened  from  the  block  is 
still  attached  to  it.  No  language  of  mine  seems  adequate 
in  furnishing  words  to  describe  the  beauty  of  its  tone, 

“  When  every  string’s  according  glee 
Is  blended  into  harmony 

for  it  contains  all  the  requisites  to  be  found  in  an  excellent 
instrument,  power  and  quality,  richness  and  brilliancy,  and 
a  freshness  of  sound  which  its  exceptional  state  of  preser¬ 
vation  alone  can  give.  The  date  of  this  Violin  is  1645. 

This  maker  died  at  Cremona,  12th  August,  1684,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  son  Jerome,  who  was  born  in  1649. 
The  instruments  of  Jerome,  who  was  the  last  maker  in  the 
family,  bear  little  or  no  comparison  with  those  of  his 
father  ;  as  the  Violins  of  sterling  worth  by  the  Amati  family 
may  be  said  to  virtually  terminate  with  Nicholas.  Many 
excellent  Violins  by  this  family  are  to  be  found  throughout 
the  country,  a  few  of  which  are  here  mentioned. 


io6 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


The  u  Alard  ”  Nicholas  Amati,  previously  described,  is 
the  property  of  Mr.  D.  Laurie,  Glasgow.  The  Rev.  Wm. 
Logie,  Tynet  (Banffshire),  possesses  a  Violin  by  this  artist, 
dated  1655  ;  whilst  two  instruments  of  the  same  maker  are 
in  the  possession  of  Messrs.  Roberts,  of  Fyvie  (Aberdeen¬ 
shire),  and  Smith,  of  Glasgow.  Amongst  the  numerous 
instruments  belonging  to  Mr.  Malcolm,  of  Edinburgh,  there 
is  a  grand  Nicholas  Amati  Violin,  along  with  another  in¬ 
strument  by  the  brothers,  Anthony  and  Jerome.  The  late 
Mr.  Gordon,  Aberdeen  Quill  Company,  had  an  instrument 
by  those  artists,  and  a  Violin  and  Violoncello,  of  well-known 
excellence,  by  the  same  makers,  are  in  the  valuable  collec¬ 
tion  of  Mr.  Croall,  of  Edinburgh.  The  Violin  bears  the  fol¬ 
lowing  inscription  —  “  Antonius  et  Hieronymus  Hr.  Amati , 
Cre?nonen ;  Andrea  Hil  H.  anito  1627,”  and  the  Violon¬ 
cello  is  labelled  1595,  this  latter  instrument  being  formerly 
the  property  of  M.  Kreutzer,  who  brought  it  from  Ger¬ 
many.  Another  excellent  Violin  is  the  property  the  emi¬ 
nent  connoisseur,  Mr.  Wood,  of  Woodcot.  Other  specimens 
of  those  artists  are  in  the  possession  of  the  following  gentle¬ 
men  :  —  Messrs.  John  Macnee  and  James  Allen,  Edinburgh, 
- Buchanan,  Glasgow,  and  John  Sellar,  Hatton,  Mo¬ 
rayshire.  An  Amati  Violin  of  merit  is  also  in  the  possession 
of  Sir  James  Clarke,  of  Penicuik,  another  is  the  property 
of  a  lady  residing  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fraserburgh,  at 
one  time  considered  a  superior  instrument.  I  have  been 
informed  that  several  Cremona  Violins  are  in  the  possession 
of  James  Gentle,  Esq.,  Edinburgh,  one  being  a  Nicholas 
Amati,  which  was  purchassd  from  Signior  Emiliani,  the 
eminent  Violinist,  and  which  was  formerly  in  the  possession 
of  an  English  clergyman ;  also,  that  the  well-known 
w‘  Maule  ”  Amati  is  now  the  property  of  a  gentleman  in 
Perthshire.  Several  other  excellent  instruments  by  this 
illustrious  family  are  to  be  found  throughout  the  South  of 
Scotland,  a  few  of  the  proprietors  of  such  absolutely  refus¬ 
ing,  and  others  failing  to  render  any  information  relative 
thereto. 

The  Guarnerius  Family. 

The  first  of  this  distinguished  family  was  Andrew,  a 
native  of  Cremona,  who  flourished  from  about  1630  to 
1695.  The  instruments  of  this  maker,  although  certainly 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


IO  7 

good,  claim  but  a  secondary  value  in  comparison  with 
those  of  the  most  illustrious  of  the  Cremona  makers.  His 
eldest  son  and  pupil,  Joseph,  who  worked  from  1680  to 
1 73°,  produced  instruments  of  much  greater  merit,  which 
are  characterzied  from  those  of  Andrew  by  their  difference 
of  model,  as  well  as  from  possessing  a  tone  more  brilliant 
and  penetrating.  The  next  Violins  of  this  family  are  those 
of  Peter,  brother  of  the  preceding,  who  was  a  pupil  of 
Jerome  Amati,  and  worked  at  Cremona  and  Mantua  from 
about  1690  to  1728.  The  Violins  of  this  maker  were  of  a 
larger  model,  with  deep  archings,  having  the  thicknesses 
graduated  in  a  peculiar  manner ;  the  tone  was  sweet,  but 
subdued.  This  maker  must  not  be  confounded  with  Peter, 
the  son  of  Joseph,  and  grandson  of  Andrew,  who  wrought 
at  Cremona  from  1 725  to  1 740,  and  whose  Violins  display  but 
little  care  and  finish,  although  several  of  his  Basses  have 
been  held  in  high  esteem.  We  now  arrive  at  the  most  dis¬ 
tinguished  maker  of  the  family,  whose  finest  instruments  are 
so  widely  known,  and  appreciated  for  their  eminent  excel¬ 
lence,  as  to  require  but  little  comment  in  the  present  short 
notice.  This  eminent  artist,  Joseph  Anthony,  was  the  son  of 
John  Baptiste  Guarnerius  —  the  brother  of  Andrew  —  and 
was  born  at  Cremona,  8th  June,  1683.  He  was  a  pupil  of 
Stradivarius,  but  his  Violins  are,  generally  cpeaking,  finished 
in  a  manner  inferior  to  those  of  his  master.  Many  of  his 
Violins  bear  a  cross  upon  the  label,  usually  placed  over  the 
following  letters,  thus :  *  from  which  quaint  mongram 

he  derived  the  name  of  I  US, Joseph  del  Jesit.  His  Violins 
may,  like  those  of  Stainer,  be  classified  into  three  distinct 
epochs.  During  the  first  period,  his  early  instruments  are 
but  of  medium  quality  ;  a  little  later,  however,  true  traces 
of  the  master  appear.  The  model  is  of  a  small  size,  the 
wood  of  excellent  quality,  the  varnish  equals  that  of  his 
master,  Stradivarius,  both  in  quality  and  color,  but  from 
a  disproportion  in  the  thicknesses,  the  sounds  of  his  instru¬ 
ments,  although  sweet  and  mellow,  possess  but  little  pene¬ 
tration.  The  next  period  is  particularly  characterized  by  a 
change  of  model,  as  well  as  by  an  alteration  in  the  mode  of 
thicknesses,  from  which  the  instruments  possess  a  superior 
excellence  in  every  respect.  At  one  period  he  makes  the 
back  and  table  of  his  Violins  thicker  than  those  of  his  master, 
and  at  another  the  thicknesses  of  the  centres  are  made 


io8 


THE  VIOLIN :  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


equal  to  those  of  Stradivarius,  but  the  graduation  of  such 
increases  in  quite  a  different  ratio,  to  correspond  with  the 
flatness  of  the  model  adopted.  His  finest  finished  instru¬ 
ments  may  be  included  in  his  second  epoch,  and  they  rival 
in  this  respect  those  of  Stradivarius.  After  this  epoch,  in 
several  of  his  instruments,  all  traces  of  the  finished  artist 
disappear,  nevertheless  his  most  magnificent  chef  d' ceuvres 
are  mingled  alongside  of  those  “Prison  Fiddles,”  as  they 
have  been  termed.  During  this,  his  third  period  —  from 
about  1738  —  although  we  have  his  coarsest  finished  instru¬ 
ments,  we  undoubtedly  have  also  his  finest  productions. 
The  “  Paganini  ”  Violin  is  dated  1743,  the  “  King  Joseph,” 
1740,  and  the  “  Alard  ”  instrument,  as  well  as  many  other 
Violins  of  recognized  excellence,  all  belong  to  this  epoch. 
These  are  all  of  splendid  model,  magnificent  wood,  large 
size,  with  cupped  edges,  characteristic  f  holes,  and  extra¬ 
ordinary  power  of  tone,  but  are  generally  covered  with 
inferior  and  heavy  reddish-brown  varnish.  At  this  stage 
of  the  artist’s  existence,  tradition  reports  that  dissipation 
and  debauchery  claimed  him  as  their  victim,  that  he  was 
for  several  years  a  prisoner,  owing  to  the  committal  of  some 
crime  now  unknown,  and  that  whilst  in  the  prison  the 
daughter  of  the  keeper  supplied  him  with  wood,  tools,  and 
varnish,  and  even  disposed  of  his  Violins,  at  almost  nominal 
prices,  in  order  to  administer  to  his  wants  in  his  unfortunate 
and  miserable  abode. 

As  there  are  so  many  various  models  and  sizes  by  this 
celebrated  maker,  and  many  of  them  so  dissimilar  to  one 
another,  it  requires  the  accustomed  and  well-trained  eye  of 
an  expert  to  distinguish  the  same  handiwork  running 
through  each  of  them.  It  is  also  difficult  to  classify  them, 
and  to  indicate  which  particular  instrument  was  made  either 
at  the  commencement  or  middle  of  the  artist’s  professional 
lifetime,  as  it  is  only  in  the  latter  Violins  that  we  find 
decisive  traces  of  the  period  they  belonged  to,  such  as  the 
particular  elevation  of  the  exterior  edges,  and  the  peculiar 
spot,  or  dot,  which  he  gave  to  the  finish  of  the  indenting  at 
the  corners.  Those  instruments  are  generally  of  a  larger 
size,  such  as  those  previously  referred  to,  and  the  one  which 
has  been  selected  for  description. 

Speaking  in  general  terms,  the  Violins  of  this  artist  may 
be  defined  thus  :  — Flat  construction,  with  very  slight  eleva- 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


109 


tion,  and  gradual  curvature  of  arching  ;  varnish  varied,  but 
usually  fine,  elastic,  and  of  various  tints  of  color,  passing 
from  a  light  yellow  to  a  deep  red.  Another  striking  pecu¬ 
liarity  is,  that  in  many  of  them,  they* hole  on  the  bass  side 
is  longer  by  about  xeths  of  an  inch,  than  that  on  the  other 
side  of  the  instrument. 

In  giving  a  description  of  an  individual  instrument  by  this 
maker,  the  author  has  chosen  a  magnificent  specimen  — 
one  of  the  very  finest  known  —  in  the  possession  of  J.  M. 
Kinghorn,  Esq.,  of  Helensburgh,  Dumbartonshire.  This 
is  a  large-sized  u  Joseph,”  being  fully  fourteen  inches  in 
length,  six  and  five-eighths  at  the  narrow,  or  upper  end, 
four  and  five-eighths  at  the  narrowest  part  across  the  centre, 
and  eight  and  one-eighth  inches  at  the  lower,  or  broad 
extremity.  The  rims,  or  sides,  are  of  extra  height,  being 
one  inch  and  three-eights  in  depth.  The  Violin  is  of  round 
outline,  more  resembling  that  of  the  Nicholas  Amati  than 
the  Strad  previously  described,  the  only  flat,  or  stiff'  part  of 
the  outline,  being  a  portion  of  the  edge  about  3  inches  in 
length,  extending  across  the  lower,  or  broad  end.  The 
C.’s  are  almost  an  exact  counterpart  of  those  of  Nicholas 
Amati,  being  beautifully  rounded,  although  not  so  deeply 
let  into  the  instrument,  which  gives  a  greater  width  across 
the  centre  of  the  waist,  and  has  the  effect  of  shortening  or 
contracting  the  corners.  The  f  holes  are  more  pointed, 
lying  more  upright,  or  straight,  upon  the  table,  than  those 
of  Stradivarius  or  Amati,  and  they  are  fully  an  eighth  of  an 
inch  longer  than  those  of  the  former,  being  over  three 
inches  and  one-eighth  in  length,  yet  they  appear  in  perfect 
symmetry  on  this  model  ;  whereas,  were  they  placed  upon 
a  Strad,  or  Amati,  an  astute  connoisseur  would  at  once 
detect  the  disproportion,  and  remark  that  the  /"holes  were 
too  long.  The  head  has  not  the  delicacy  of  that  of  the 
former  artist,  but  is  exceedingly  bold  and  large,  with  a 
noble  rotundity  and  fulness  in  the  incision,  which  gives  to 
it  truly  a  majestic  and  characteristic  appearance.  The 
back  of  the  box  is  broad  and  flat,  the  carving  slightly  hol¬ 
lowed  out,  but  curiously  enough,  the  edges  are  not  flattened 
like  those  of  Stradivarius,  but  are  merely  left  blunt,  which 
gives  additional  beauty  to  the  volute,  or  rotund  appearance 
of  the  scroll,  and  leaves  the  ears,  or  centres,  more  relieved. 
The  peg-box  is  wide  and  strong — a  very  different  model 


no 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


from  that  of  modern  imitators.  The  arching  of  the  back 
and  table  is  a  little  flatter  than  that  of  Stradivarius,  and  the 
declivity  being  flattened  towards  the  edges,  gives  to  it  an 
appearance  of  greater  shallowness  than  it  really  possesses, 
but  the  undulating  curve  is  carried  fuller  to  both  extremities 
than  in  the  Violins  of  Stradivarius,  consequently  the  centre 
does  not  appear  so  elevated,  although  in  reality  it  is 
almost  of  the  same  elevation  as  the  best  models  of  his  mas¬ 
ter.  This  similarity  in  elevation  of  the  instrument  alluded 
to,  cannot  by  any  means  be  laid  down  as  an  infallible  index 
to  go  by,  as  there  are  some  instruments  by  Stradivarius 
quite  as  flat,  or  low  in  elevation,  as  any  Guarneriuses  ever 
made,  and  vice  versd.  The  wood  of  this  “  Joseph  ”  is 
of  very  excellent  quality,  and  the  proportions  are  thick  and 
heavy.  The  back  is  formed  of  one  single  piece,  with  a  broad 
curl  which  descends  from  left  to  right ;  the  rims,  or  sides  are 
of  the  same  curl,  and  the  latter  placed  obliquely,  as  in  the 
instruments  formerly  described.  The  table-wood  is  of  wide 
grain,  but  each  reed  distinctly  relieving  itself,  and  altogether 
a  different,  or  what  inexperienced  amateurs  would  desig¬ 
nate  as  a  coarser  wood  than  that  used  by  Stradivarius,  or 
Amati,  but  every  fibre  stands  eloquently  mute,  and  pro¬ 
claims  a  tone.  The  varnish  with  which  it  is  almost  entirely 
covered  —  the  sole  exception  being,  where  from  age  and 
wear,  it  has  been  broken  up  in  the  centre  of  the  back,  and 
at  the  part  whereupon  the  chin  is  placed  —  is  of  a  dark  red 
color,  with  a  brilliant  substratum  of  limpid  yellow,  as 
shown  at  the  edges,  where  the  exterior  red  varnish  has 
been  worn  off.  This  red  varnish  of  his  late  period  is  of 
inferior  quality,  and  wants  the  brilliance  and  translucence 
of  that  which  he  used  in  his  smaller  and  earlier  instruments. 
The  tone  of  this  Violin  is  heavy  and  vigorous,  of  immense 
penetration,  with  a  delicious  and  refined  ethereal  purity, 
which  requires  the  touch  of  a  powerful  player  to  judiciously 
evoke.  The  purfling  which  is  very  small  and  fine,  is  regu¬ 
larly  and  beautifullv  laid  in,  in  striking  contrast  to  several  of 
his  earlier  Violins,  and  all  the  other  parts  of  the  instrument 
are  as  skilfully  finished  as  in  the  Violins  of  Stradivarius, 
which  plainly  evinces  that  this  maker  possessed  true  artistic 
skill  and  genius,  although  at  times  he  displayed  careless¬ 
ness  and  want  of  finish.  The  edges  outside  the  purfling 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MARE  IT. 


1 1 1 


are  angular  —  not  round,  or  semicircular  —  with  consider¬ 
able  elevation,  which  appears  to  have  been  a  mode  he  only 
adopted  during  his  last,  and  best  period. 

This  Violin  is  dated  1739,  and  is  in  every  respect  an 
exact  counterpart  of  the  famed  Violin  of  Paganini,  which 
now  remains  as  a  seen  but  unused  memento  of  the  past,  in 
one  of  the  cabinets  of  the  Museum  of  the  Municipal  Palace 
of  Genoa,  his  native  city,  the  only  dissimilarity  being  that 
the  back  of  the  latter  Violin  is  formed  from  two  pieces, 
whereas,  as  already  stated,  that  of  the  former  instrument  is 
composed  of  one  plate. 

In  conclusion,  this  instrument  looks  almost  as  fresh  as 
when  it  issued  from  the  hands  of  its  maker,  and  is  appar¬ 
ently  capable  of  enduring  any  amount  of  work  for  any 
period  of  time.  Fortunately  it  is  the  property  of  an  ardent 
amateur,  under  whose  careful  guardianship  it  will  be 
handed  down  to  a  succeeding  generation  in  the  same  fine 
preservation  as  that  in  which  it  now  exists  —  having  neither 
crack  nor  flaw  —  eloquently  showing  to  others  what  the 
artistic  genius  of  Cremona  could  produce,  and  serving  as  a 
worthy  model  for  future  aspiring  artists  to  imitate,  but  never 
to  surpass. 

This  celebrated  maker  commenced  Violin-making;  at 
Cremona  about  1720,  and  is  supposed  to  have  died  in  prison 
in  174C  Numerous  other  instruments  of  this  family  are  to 
be  found  throughout  Scotland,  a  few  of  which  are  here 
subjoined. 

A  well-known  and  highly-famed  Violin  by  Joseph, 
nephew  of  Andrew,  is  in  the  possession  of  H.  Gordon, 
Esq.,  of  Avochie,  near  Edinburgh.  This  instrument  is  in 
excellent  preservation,  at  least  was  a  few  years  ago,  and 
was  purchased  at  Paris  about  the  end  of  last  century  by 
Mr.  Thomson,  of  Banchory.  From  what  I  have  learned 
regarding  it,  Mr.  Thomson’s  son  sold  it  about  25  years 
ago  to  the  late  Mr.  Hunter,  of  Tillery,  Aberdeenshire,  for 
«£ioo.  This  latter  gentleman  possessed  the  finest  collection 
of  Cremona  Violins  in  the  county,  and '  after  his  decease 
those  cherished  instruments  were  exposed  in  the  market  for 
private  sale.  This  favorite  Guarnerius  was  sent  on  to 
Edinburgh,  where  an  eminent  connoisseur  offered  £115  f°r 
it,  but,  as  formerly  stated,  it  became  the  property  of  Mr. 
Gordon,  of  Avochie,  being  sold  at  <£125.  Mr.  Muir,  of 


I  I  2 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


Leith,  also  possesses  a  Violin  by  this  maker.  Another  well- 
known  Violin  by  this  eminent  maker  is  the  property  of  the 
eminent  Violinist,  Mr.  A.  C.  Mackenzie,  of  Edinburgh, 
and  is  remarkable  for  its  fine  quality  and  intensity  of  tone. 
About  the  year  1S00  this  Violin  was,  strange  to  say,  also 
in  possession  of  an  A.  Mackenzie,  from  whom  it  went  to 
Mr.  F.  Cramer,  through  Henry  Murray,  Esq.,  for  the  sum 
of  £262.  At  the  sale  of  the  latter  gentleman’s  effects,  it 
was  purchased  by  Mr.  xMexander  Crombie,  Edinburgh,  for 
£105,  and  in  1846  became  the  property  of  the  late  Mr. 
Alexander  Mackenzie,  the  present  proprietor’s  father.  As 
remarks  relative  to  such  valuable  instruments  are  alwavs 

%I 

interesting  to  the  young  amateur,  I  subjoin  the  following 
verbatim  copies  of  letters  relating  to  the  above-mentioned 
Violin.  The  first  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  Francois 
Cramer,  to  his  son  William,  dated  1841,  which  was  trans¬ 
mitted  in  the  subsequent  letter  from  Mr.  S.  W  Forster,  to 
Henry  Murray,  Esq.,  Edinburgh,  regarding  the  authen¬ 
ticity  of  the  instrument. 

Letter  from  F.  Cramer,  to  his  Son  William. 

My  Dear  William,  —  As  you  wish  to  have  the  pedigree  of  the 
Joseph  Guarnerius  Violin  I  bought  forty  years  ago  of  a  Mr.  Mackenzie, 
a  distinguished  Amateicr  in  those  days,  with  a  warranty  of  its  being  a  gen¬ 
uine  instrument,  and  soon  after  sold  it,  the  gentleman  who  bought  it  of 
me  died,  and  his  widow  returned  it  to  me  for  sale,  as,  of  course,  she  had 
no  use  for  it  after  his  death.  It  has  never  been  in  any  other  hands,  and 
I  can  warrant  its  being  a  genuine  instrument. 

Your  Affectionate  Father, 

Francois  Cramer. 


37  Upper  Charlotte  Street,  Fitzroy  Square, 

June  10,  1841. 

Letter  from  S.  W.  Forster,  to  H.  Murray,  Esq.,  Transmitting 
the  Preceding  Letter  and  Receipts. 

I  have  much  pleasure  in  transmitting  the  copies  of  the  above,  and  hope 
they  will  give  you  additional  pleasure  when  gazing  on  the  instrument  to 
which  they  refer.  With  best  wishes  for  your  health,  and  thanks  for 
favor  conferred, 

I  remain, 

Yours  respectfully, 

S.  W.  Forster. 

13  Macclesfield  Street,  Soho  Square, 

21st  August,  1841. 


THE  VIOLIN:  HO  W  TO  MAKE  IT. 


1 T3 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  label  on  the  instrument, 
“ Joseph  Guarnerius ,  fecit ,  Cremone ,  anno,  1741, 
Another  Violin  by  this  same  maker,  dated  1734,  is  ||45” 
in  the  possession  of  that  eminent  collector,  W.  Croall, 

Esq.,  of  Edinburgh,  and  was  formerly  in  the  possession 
of  the  great  solo  player,  Wieniawski,  for  15  years.  This 
Violin  was  purchased  for  £200.  Two  other  perfect  instru¬ 
ments  by  this  maker,  one  dated  1739,  and  the  other  1744, 
are  in  the  possession  of  Messrs.  D.  Laurie,  Glasgow,  and 
J.  Kirkhope,  Edinburgh.  An  instrument  by  Joseph  fl 
Andrea ,  dated  1717,  which  thoroughly  bears  out  the  char¬ 
acteristics  of  this  maker,  is  the  property  of  T.  M.  Drysdale, 
Esq.,  of  Milnathort,  and  a  Violin  by  one  of  the  Guarnerii 
family  is  in  the  possession  of  Sir  R.  Dalyell,  of  Rennis, 
Linlithgowshire.  This  instrument  is  dated  1 73 2 ,  and  for¬ 
merly  belonged  to  the  celebrated  Violinist,  Stabilini,  whose 
seal  in  wax  remains  upon  its  scroll.  It  is  of  a  small  pat¬ 
tern,  with  golden-colored  varnish,  and  possesses  a  fine 
mellow  tone.  A  Violin  by  Andrew  Guarnerius,  dated 
1694,  is  in  the  possession  of  A.  B.  Wallace,  Esq.,  of 
Edinburgh.  This  instrument  is  in  good  preservation,  and 
was  formerly  bought  from  Mr.  Chanot,  by  John  Wood, 
Esq.,  Advocate,  Edinburgh,  wdio  sold  it  to  the  present 
possessor. 

The  preceding  observations,  although  somewhat  concise, 
must  for  the  present  suffice  ;  meanwhile  an  artist,  whose  in¬ 
struments  are  second  only  to  those  of  the  Cremona  makers, 
forms  the  next  subject  of  our  consideration. 

Jacob  Stainer. 

Jacob  Stainer,  or  Steiner,  the  founder  of  the  Tyrolese 
School  of  Violin-makers,  was  born  about  the  year  I620,  at 
Absom,  a  village  in  the  Tyrol,  situated  at  a  short  distance 
from  Innsbruck,  the  capital.  Tradition  reports  that  in  his 
earlier  years  he  became  the  pupil  of  Anthony,  and  after¬ 
wards  of  Nicholas  Amati  ;  but  his  Violins  certainly  bear 
much  greater  resemblance  to  those  of  the  brothers  Anthony 
and  Jerome,  than  they  do  to  those  of  Nicholas,  although 
they  have  always  that  unmistakably  German  appearance  in 
their  details.  The  instruments  of  this  maker  have  been 
classed  into  three  distinct  epochs,  and  there  is  every  reason 


THE  VIOLIN •  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


1 14 


to  believe  that  he  also  adopted  three  different  sizes  of  build 
—  a  large,  a  medium,  and  a  small.  His  first  instruments 
were  of  small  dimensions,  with  short  and  narrow  f  holes, 
having  lofty  archings,  whilst  the  heads  and  scrolls  were  of 
diminished  proportions,  but  of  beautiful  finish.  Those 
early  instruments  are  now  of  the  utmost  rarity,  and  bore 
labels  inscribed  in  his  own  handwriting,  and  were  dated 
from  Cremona. 

About  the  commencement  of  his  second  period  he 
married  the  daughter  of  Anthony  Amati,  and  this  phase 
of  life  was  marked  by  misfortune,  genuine  art  having 
succumbed  to  carelessness,  whilst  poverty  in  all  its  icy  cold¬ 
ness  surrounded  his  home  circle,  compelling  him  to  travel 
with  his  now  crude  and  imperfect  instruments,  which  he 
gladly,  but  with  difficulty  disposed  of,  for  the  diminutive 
sum  of  six  florins.  During  this,  his  second  epoch,  he 
returned  from  Cremona  to  his  native  town,  Absom,  where 
he  hastily  manufactured  a  vast  number  of  instruments. 
Most  of  the  Violins  of  this  period  were  of  very  inferior 
quality,  and  bore  little  or  no  trace  of  the  hand  of  genius. 
They  contained  printed  labels,  and  were  dated  from  1650 
to  1667.  It  is  related  that  during  part  of  this  period  his 
brother  Mark,  who  was  a  monk,  frequently  choose  to  ex¬ 
change  the  monotonous  routine  and  retirement  of  the 

O 

cloister  for  the  practical  operations  of  the  workshop,  and 
thus  assiduously  assisted  him  in  his  labors.  Now  again, 
however,  the  dying  embers  of  genius  are  fortunately  fanned 
into  a  flame,  which  bursts  afresh  with  redoubled  effulgence, 
and  fame  now  victoriously  crowns  him  with  its  never-dying 
laurels.  His  Violins  are  now  made  with  extreme  care, 
several  having  the  scrolls  beautifully  ornamented  with  the 
heads  of  lions  and  other  animals,  whilst  the  varnish  ap¬ 
pears  as  a  limpid  coating  of  reddish-brown  crystal.  A  few 
of  those  Violins  may  be  included  in  the  latter  part  of  his 
second  period,  during  which  the  instruments  bore  printed 
labels.  His  wife  having  now  died,  it  is  related  that  he 
entered  the  gloomy  solitudes  of  a  Benedictine  Convent, 
there  not  only  to  adhere  to  the  scrupulously  strict  duties  of  an 
ascetic  life,  but  also  to  distinguish  himself  by  the  comple¬ 
tion  of  sixteen  instruments  which  have  been  pronounced  by 
all  judges  as  masterpieces  of  genius.  Through  the  kindness 
of  the  Superior,  he  was  enabled  to  obtain  wood  of  pre-emi- 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


”5 

nent  merits  for  the  construction  of  those  instruments,  which 
have  been  known  by  the  name  of  Elector-Stainers.  from 
the  fact  of  twelve  of  these  Violins  having  been  presented 
to  the  Twelve  Electors  of  the  Empire,  whilst  the  remain¬ 
ing  four  were  presented  to  the  Emperor.  Those  instru¬ 
ments  were  all  that  could  well  be  desired  both  in  finish  and 
quality,  and  bore  labels  inscribed  in  his  own  handwriting. 
Those  superior  Violins  characterize  his  third  period,  but 
only  three  of  diose  instruments  are  known  at  the  present 
time.  No  records  are  known  to  exist  containing  particulars 
relating  as  to  when,  or  where,  this  esteemed  maker  died. 
The  Violins  of  Stainer  may  be  generally  described  thus :  — 
The  round  outlines,  as  well  as  the  scroll,  C’s,  and  f  holes, 
are  delicately  harmonious,  symmetrical,  and  pleasant  in 
appearance,  showing  the  artistic  finish  of  a  tasteful  work¬ 
man  ;  but  this  excellence  always  retains  a  portion  of  his 
national  characteristics,  as  the  f  holes  and  C’s  are  shorter, 
and  the  exquisitely  cut  head  is  smaller,  though  more  deeply 
carved  out,  than  in  the  Italian  instruments.  The  purfling 
is  beautifully  and  finely  laid  in,  and  is  of  medium  breadth. 
It  lies  near  the  outer  edge,  which  is  angular  and  very  finely 
wrought,  but  gives  to  the  Violin  a  rather  light  appearance. 
The  arching  is  high,  and  springs  rather  more  abruptly  to 
the  centre  than  that  of  Amati  ;  they  are  scooped  out  all 
around  the  sides  between  the  purfling  and  the  spring  of  the 
arching.  The  woods  employed  are  of  excellent  quality. 
The  back  is  usually  “  slab,’’  or  “  half-slab, ”  and  the  curl 
gorgeously  mixed,  which  lends  a  charm  to  their  fine  ap¬ 
pearance  ;  the  rims,  or  sides,  are  of  the  same  quality,  the 
table-wood  is  usually  of  remarkably  fine  pine,  very  close  in 
the  reed  or  grain,  and  as  the  instruments  of  this  maker 
were  held  in  very  high  estimation  towards  die  end  of  the 
last,  and  abou*:  the  commencement  of  tb^  present  cen¬ 
tury,  no  doubt  this  quality  of  close-grainec  pine,  adopted 
by  Stainer,  gave  rise  to  the  erroneous  idea  still  prevalent 
amongst  makers  and  amateurs,  in  country  districts  —  viz., 
that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  have  a  very  fine-grained 
table  for  tone.  The  varnish  is  from  a  golden  to  a  reddish- 
yellow,  or  brown  tint,  light  and  flexible,  and  in  his  best 
instruments  is  of  an  exquisite  Italian  quality,  resembling 
the  varnish  of  the  Amatis.  The  tone  of  this  maker’s  Vio¬ 
lins  is  pure  and  liquid,  but  not  powerful,  which  renders  them 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


1 1 6 

particularly  well  adapted  for  use  as  chamber  instruments. 
An  immense  number  of  instruments  by  other  Tyrolese 
makers,  who  forged  the  name  of  Stainer,  found  their  way 
into  the  market  at  an  early  period,  and  thus  criminally 
obscured  the  well-merited  reputation  of  this  old  master. 

Amongst  the  numerous  Violins  in  the  collection  of  Mr. 
Lowe  of  Edinburgh,  is  one  by  this  maker.  The  late  Mr. 
W.  Ingram,  of  Huntly  (Aberdeenshire),  had  a  Violin  also 
by  the  same  maker,  bearing  the  following  inscription : 
u  Jacobus  Stainer,  Cremonen ,  in  Absoni ,  prope  cenipontum 
Cremona ,  1647.”  Another  was  in  the  possession  of  Mr. 
Skene,  of  Tarland. 

Probably  of  all  the  old  instruments,  the  Violins  of  Jacob 
Stainer  are  the  most  difficult  to  unmistakably  distinguish, 
knowing  that  about  three-fourths  of  all  the  makers  of  the 
last  century  copied  his  instruments,  with  the  greatest  care 
and  skill  in  every  detail,  with  the  sole  exception  of  the  var¬ 
nish.  It  is  therefore  no  little  matter  for  surprise  that  such  vast 
numbers  of  instruments,  thus  partially  aided  by  age,  have  been 
sold  as  the  veritable  productions  of  this  artist — the  founder 
of  the  great  Stainer  school.  The  great  stumbling-block 
of  those  imitators  was  the  beautiful  varnish,  for  no  matter 
how  their  skill  and  efforts  were  employed,  they  all  failed  in 
this  specialty,  although  it  must  be  admitted  that  several 
copyists  succeeded  in  coating  their  instruments  with  a  clear 
and  lustrous  varnish,  of  beautiful  deep  yellow  tints,  but 
this  varnish  was  chiefly  of  a  hard,  unimpressible,  or  flinty 
quality.  Another  obstacle  which  presents  itself  in  distin¬ 
guishing  the  genuine  Stainer,  is  this  ;  —  As  many  of  the 
instruments  have  suffered  from  fractures  and  other  similar 
accidents  during  the  period  of  time  since  Stainer  lived, 
they  have  in  numerous  instances  been  re-varnished.  In 
some  cases  new  varnish  has  been  partially  laid  over  the 
original,  and  in  others  the  latter  has  been  entirely  re-covered 
by  the  former.  Such  originial  varnish  has  sometimes  been 
removed  by  the  levelling  manipulation,  this  having  been 
deemed  the  most  convenient  and  easy  mode  for  the  careless 
and  unskilful  repairer,  and  numerous  amateurs  are  but  too 
little  cognziant  of  the  fact,  that  more  of  this  class  of  work¬ 
men  exist  than  is  generally  supposed,  to  whom  unfortu¬ 
nately  such  gems  are  entrusted  for  restoration,  to  the 
utmost  vexation  of  the  owners.  In  concluding  this  chap¬ 
ter,  I  therefore  deem  it  essential  to  add  the  following 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT. 


1  T7 


Advice  to  Inexperienced  Amateurs. 

The  preceding  remarks  relate  not  only  to  the  Violins 
of  Stainer,  but  also  to  vast  numbers  of  those  of  other 
makers  of  eminence.  What  is  even  more  derogatory,  is 
the  abstraction  of  portions  of  the  genuine  old  Violins  by 
unscrupulous  repairers.  In  old  Violins  it  often  hapjDens 
that  the  belly,  or  table,  from  being  very  brittle  in  the  wood, 
is  much  fractured,  either  by  accident  or  from  the  strain  and 
pressure  being  greater  on  this  part  than  on  the  back  and 
ribs.  The  other  parts  of  the  instrument  often  remain  com¬ 
paratively  little  worse,  even  from  their  usage  and  age.  In 
such  a  case  the  fraudulent  repairer  invariably  recommends 
a  new  “  lid,”  or  table,  to  be  put  on,  in  order  to  have  the 
original  one  for  the  purpose  of  building  up  an  appar¬ 
ently  genuine  Cremona.  At  other  times  a  new  back,  or 
neck,  is  added,  when  the  original  one  may  chance  to  be 
fractured,  on  the  plea  that  such  would  be  more  suitable,  so 
as  to  give  strength  and  solidity  to  the  instrument.  Several 
thoughtless  owners  have  had  bitterly  to  regret  their  sanction 
to  this  base  roguery,  whilst  in  other  cases  no  such  sanction 
had  ever  been  given,  but  merely  a  recommendation  upon 
the  part  of  the  repairer.  In  the  latter  instance,  after  such 
an  abstraction,  the  part  is  made  up,  and  copied  as  closely 
as  possible  from  the  original ;  the  instrument  is  returned, 
and  eventually  passes  by  the  inexperienced  for  a  genuine 
old  Violin,  the  chief  merits  being  largely  dwelt  upon, 
and  this  excellence  often  attributed  to  the  very  part  so 
abstracted. 

Again  I  have  sometimes  observed  what  has  been  termed 
tuoo  genuine  old  Cremonas  formed  out  of  one  by  a  rare 
process  of  fecundity  —  for  example,  the  table  and  neck  of 
one  being  placed  upon  matched  ribs,  duly  darkened 
and  chipped,  then  of  course  the  old  back  and  ribs  are  pro¬ 
vided  with  a  new  chosen  table,  charred  and  imitated,  with 
a  head  of  less  importance,  to  all  appearance  still  worse  from 
wear,  by  levelling  oft"  the  edges,  similar  to  the  appear¬ 
ance  which  usage  and  friction  produce.  At  other  times  old 
tables  have  been  added  to  original  old  ribs  and  back,  when 
of  a  supposed  matchable  character,  by  altering  certain 
parts,  adding  to,  or  curtailing  the  edges  by  running  the  pur- 


THE  VIOLIN:  HO  IV  TO  MAKE  IT. 


I  iS 


fling  farther  inside,  if  too  large,  by  cleverly  replacing  such 
parts  so  as  to  agree  with  the  ribs,  which  can  be  pressed  in 
a  little  here  and  there,  when  the  belly  is  afterwards  glued 
on.  After  much  careful  dodging  the  deception  becomes 
complete,  and  the  adjusted  table  requires  nothing  else  to 
look  old,  beyond  a  little  alteration  of  the  edges,  and  the 
form  of  the  f  holes. 

A  well-trained  eye  may  often  detect  such  by  observing 
that  the  outline  does  not  follow  the  ribs,  that  the  ribs  have 
been  twisted  off  the  square  to  match  the  altered  table, 
that  new  pieces  have  been  carefully  inserted  along  the  J 
holes,  especially  upon  the  outside,  so  as  to  alter  their 
original  character  as  nearly  as  possible  to  that  which  the 
cunning  dealer  wishes  his  feigned  instrument  to  represent. 

Perhaps  the  most  flagrant  deception  the  author  has  ever 
witnessed  was  that  of  a  dealer  a  few  years  ago,  who  guar¬ 
anteed  as  genuine  such  an  altered  instrument,  giving  a 
written  warranty  that  it  was  a  Maggini  Viola.  The  back 
was  the  only  original  part  of  the  instrument,  the  table, 
rims,  and  neck  were  comparatively  new,  and  matched  to 
the  back.  For  this  spurious  instrument  <£30  was  given  by 
the  purchaser. 

A  far  better  knowledge  of  the  Violin  ought  to  exist 
amongst  amateurs,  and  even  amongst  intelligent  profes¬ 
sionals,  than  what  is  generally  to  be  found,  especially  now 
that  a  taste  for  the  Violin  is  becoming  more  and  more  cul¬ 
tivated  amongst  the  higher,  as  well  as  the  lower  classes. 
We  have  now  numerous  very  talented  lady-artists,  so  it 
may  be  safely  said  the  instrument  is  now  beginning  to  be 
fully  appreciated  by  the  fair  sex,  and  very  justly  so,  know¬ 
ing  how  susceptible  the  Violin  is,  so  fascinating,  so  tender, 
and  yet  so  free,  so  marvellously  varied  and  bewitching ;  its 
quality  seems  an  everlasting  study  of  boundless  resources 
for  the  ingenious  and  patient  possessor  of  polished  musical 
abilities,  so  compact,  so  admirably  adapted  for  the  draw¬ 
ing-room,  and  a  companion  to  the  Pianoforte  now  every¬ 
where  in  use,  a  voice  unequalled,  yet  sustained,  flexible, 
and  so  widely  different  to  the  quality  of  the  Piano,  that 
when  combined  with  good  execution,  the  harmony  is 
complete. 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


i  ig 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  BOW,  THE  ROSIN,  AND  THE  STRINGS. 

The  Bow,  that  apparently  simple  and  trifling  rod,  which 
many  doubtless  consider  as  unworthy  of  devoting  time  and 
space  to,  will  be  found,  nevertheless,  to  possess  certain 
claims  upon  the  amateur’s  attention,  which  will  be  well 
worthy  of  his  earnest  notice.  In  a  treatise  in  which 
the  construction  of  the  Violin  is  initially  delineated,  it 
would  be  considered  quite  unpardonable  to  omit  all  notice 
of  its  appendage  —  the  bow  —  that  mysterious  assistant,  by 
the  combined  use  of  which  the  artist  excites  us  at  one  time 
to  bestir  ourselves  to  the  lively  Strathspey  or  Reel,  and  at 
another  to  place  ourselves,  as  it  were,  in  an  ethereal  and 
harmonious  world  of  delights,  forgetting  our  existence  for 
a  time  upon  this  sublunary  sphere,  and  fascinated  by  the 
swift  chords  of  enchantingly  sonorous  pearls  which  melo¬ 
diously  emanate  upon  our  ears  with  a  sweetness  indescrib¬ 
able.  The  earliest  bows,  as  can  well  be  imagined,  were 
of  the  rudest  and  most  primitive  form,  being,  strictly  speak¬ 
ing,  veritable  “  bows or  arcs  of  bent  cane,  having  a  num¬ 
ber  of  hairs  attached  to  both  ends,  to  keep  them  in  the 
requisite  position.  The  first  improvement  which  we  find, 
representations  of  such  being  obtained  from  monumental 
drawings,  is  in  the  bow  being  formed  or  cut  quite  straight 
from  the  wood,  having  both  projections  on  the  ends  an 
equal  depth,  with  the  hair  fixed  permanently  therein,  whilst 
a  century  or  two  afterwards  the  movable  nut  was  formed, 
and  at  a  still  later  period  a  loop  was  made  on  the  nut,  which 
fitted  into  a  notched  metallic  plate,  by  which  means  the 
player  was  enabled  to  graduate  the  tension.  At  a  period 
subsequent  to  this,  those  primitive  methods  gave  place  to 
other  improvements,  viz.,  the  substitution  of  a  screw  for 
regulating  the  tension,  whilst  the  outline  approached  more 
closely  in  form  to  our  modern  bow.  In  the  eighteenth 


120 


THE  VIOLIN:  IIOIV  TO  MALE  IT. 


century  the  bow  arrived  at  great  perfection  through  the 
scrupulous  care  and  attention  of  that  celebrated  French 
maker,  F rancois  Tourte,  who  has  left  a  lasting  fame  through¬ 
out  Europe.  The  bows  of  this  maker,  from  their  excel¬ 
lent  quality,  were  high  in  price,  and  now  it  is  almost  im¬ 
possible  to  obtain  them,  from  their  having  been  anxiously 
sought  after  by  many  of  our  finest  professional  Violinists 
and  collectors  of  such  worthy  mementoes  ;  but  excellent 
bows  are  now  to  be  had  by  several  other  distinguished 
makers,  and,  what  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  at  a  rea¬ 
sonable  price.  Amongst  those  esteemed  makers  may  be 
mentioned  the  following  :  —  Lupot,  Tubbs,  Stentor,  Pan- 
ormo,  Picatte,  the  Dodds,  Vuillaume,  and  Johnson.  About 
the  period  when  Tourte  thus  perfected  the  bow  in  France, 
we  find  the  elder  Dodd  distinguishing  himself  at  the  same 
art,  whilst  a  short  tims  after  this,  the  bows  of  his  son, 
John,  worthily  merited  a  high  degree  of  fame.  They  are 
lig-ht  and  firm,  being  made  from  well-finished  and  fine 
wood,  maintaining  permanently  their  original  curvature, 
and  are  shorter  than  those  of  Tourte,  whilst  they  are  mod¬ 
erate  in  price,  being  from  half-a-guinea  and  upwards, 
according  to  quality  and  finish.  To  Violinists,  a  Dodd 
bow  will  prove  much  cheaper  in  the  long  run,  than  the 
purchase  of  one  of  the  so-called  cheap  ones,  the  latter 
being  after  a  few  months’  usage  utterly  worthless,  whilst 
the  former  very  rarely  gets  out  of  shape.  Again,  in  Paris, 
we  have  Vuillaume,  whose  bows  also  possess  great  excel¬ 
lence.  From  the  bows  of  Tourte  have  been  derived  the 
standard  measurements  of  the  length,  and  proportions  of 
the  stick,  the  proper  balance,  the  slide  for  fastening  the 
hairs,  etc.  We  may  assume  the  standard  length  of  the 
stick  to  be  29  inches,  but  the  medium  length  is  about  27^ 
in.,  the  height  of  the  head  and  nut  from  the  body  of  the 
stick  being  about  f-  in.  For  about  4 fV  in.  from  the  end, 
where  the  nut  is  placed,  the  bow  is  of  uniform  thickness, 
being  a  fraction  over  fV  in.  in  diameter,  and  gradually,  but 
not  uniformly,  tapering  to  about  I  of  an  inch  in  diameter, 
where  the  head  is  formed. 

The  bows  which  have  the  most  perfect  balance  for  play¬ 
ing,  have  the  hair  25I  inches  long,  and  their  centre  of  grav¬ 
ity  is  about  72  in.  from  the  nut,  and  in  the  bows  of  the 
Violoncello  the  length  of  hair  should  be  23I  in.,  whilst  they 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT 


I  2  I 


should  balance  at  6f  in.  from  the  nut,  the  stick  being  pro¬ 
portionally  larger,  having  a  length  varying  from  24  to  25 
inches.  In  the  Violin-bow,  the  finest  white  hair  is  em¬ 
ployed,  after  being  carefully  assorted  and  cleansed.  The 
best  bows  ought  to  have  a  uniform  curvature,  and  this  regu¬ 
lated  in  such  a  mannar  that  the  exact  centre  of  the  bow, 
between  the  head  and  nut,  ought  to  be  the  portion  of  the 
bend  which  approaches  nearest  to  the  hair.  The  number 
of  hairs  contained  in  the  Violin-bow  varies  according  to  their 
size,  but  the  mean  number  is  about  150.  The  woods  princi¬ 
pally  used  in  the  manufacture  of  bows  are  Brazil  or  Per¬ 
nambuco  wood,  snakewood,  logwood,  ironwood,  horsewood, 
mahogany,  beech,  etc.,  whilst  the  nut  is  formed  of  ebony 
or  ivory.  Amongst  the  preceding  woods  none  is  found  to 
give  the  required  results  equal  to  Brazilwood,  front  which 
all  our  finest  bows  are  now  formed.  There  are  several 
varieties  of  this  wood,  named  after  the  places  of  their  growth, 
viz.,  Pernambuco,  Sapan,  Santa-Martha,  Lamon,  Japan, 
etc.  By  some  it  is  affirmed  that  this  wood  gave  the  name 
to  the  country  in  which  it  principally  grows — Brazil  ;  and 
the  Portuguese  made  it  a  source  of  vast  and  royal  revenue, 
hence  it  was  at  one  time  termed  Queenwood.  It  commonly 
grows  in  dry,  barren,  and  rocky  places,  and  the  trunk  of  the 
tree  is  of  large  dimensions,  crooked,  knotty,  and  full  of  cracks. 
The  flowers  of  this  tree  are  of  a  beautiful  red  color,  and 
possess  an  agreeable  aromatic  smell,  which  stimulates  the 
brain,  and  the  branches  are  slender  and  full  of  many  prickles. 
The  bark  is  exceedingly  thick,  whilst  none  of  this  species  of 
wood  contains  pith,  except  the  Japan  variety.  The  wood  is 
hard,  and,  when  newly  cut,  of  a  yellow  color,  which  becomes 
red  on  exposure  to  the  air.  It  may  be  distinguished  from 
logwood  by  its  paler  color,  and  for  surety  the  inexperi¬ 
enced  amateur  may  apply  the  following  test:  —  Boil  a 
small  quantity  of  the  chips  in  water,  filter,  and  when  cold, 
add  a  few  drops  of  a  solution  of  acetate  of  lead,  protochlo¬ 
ride  of  tin,  or  lime-water,  when  if  the  precipitate  is  crim¬ 
son,  it  is  Brazilwood  —  and  if  violet,  then  it  is  logwood. 

Brazilwood  is  extensively  used  in  dyeing,  and  is  gen¬ 
erally  exported  in  bundles,  from  which  the  finest  pieces 
are  selected  by  the  bowmaker,  but  those,  like  angels’  visits, 
are  “  few  and  far  between,”  as  the  wood  naturally  possess¬ 
ing  so  many  blemishes  and  inequalities,  few  faultless  pieces 


122 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


are  to  be  found,  hence  this  alone  tends  to  augment  the 
prices  of  such  bows.  Tourte  obtained  for  unmounted  bows 
a  sum  equivalent  to  about  30s.,  and  for  silver-mounted  ones, 
from  50s.  to  60s.,  whilst  those  mounted  with  gold  were 
sold  at  prices  varying  from  10  to  11  guineas  ;  but  we  must 
not  forget  his  scrupulous  care  in  selecting  the  wood,  and 
his  beauty  of  finish,  combined  with  such  excellence  of 
quality,  circumstances  which  thus  obliged  him  to  charge 
those  high  prices. 

The  finest  bows  have  the  curvatures  finished  by  heat, 
every  part  of  the  bend  being  subjected  to  its  action,  as 
agreeably  to  this  method,  the  inner  as  well  as  the  outer 
side  will  always  retain  its  proper  curve  ;  whereas,  if  only 
the  inside  of  the  sffck  has  been  heated,  the  inner  woody 
fibres  being  in  their  normal  condition,  will  always  have  an 
opposing  resistance  to  the  outside  ones,  and  thus  the  bow 
will  gradually  be  drawn  from  its  finished  curvature  to  its 
original  form  —  a  fact  too  well  experienced  in  those  bows 
which  infest  the  shop  windows  of  several  of  our  cheap 
musical-instrument  dealers.  Several  important  improve¬ 
ments  in  the  bow  have  been  effected  through  the  exertions 
of  M.  Vuillaume.  One  convenience  is  that  the  hair 
maintains  always  a  flat  surface,  from  having  each  extremity 
inserted  into  a  sort  of  tubular  pliers,  one  of  which  fits  into 
a  pierced  cavity  in  the  head  of  the  stick,  and  the  other  into 
the  interior  nut,  the  mechanism  being  exceedingly  simple. 
Another  excellent  improvement  to  meet  the  changes  of 
position  of  the  hand  of  the  player  caused  by  the  variations 
in  the  length,  consequent  upon  the  changes  of  distance 
effected  by  the  different  tensions  from  the  nut-screw,  is 
obviated  thus  :  —  The  nut  is  attached  permanently  to  the 
stick,  and  is  mortised  out  to  receive  an  interior  nut  of  brass, 
which  advances  and  recedes  within  the  permanent  one  by  a 
screw  —  thus  maintaining  always  a  uniform  distance  be¬ 
tween  the  head  of  the  bow  and  the  outside  of  the  exterior 
nut.  I  must  not  omit  herein  to  mention  a  simple  and 
ingenious  method  of  bow-hairing  invented  by  Mr.  Walker, 
late  of  Castle  Newe,  Aberdeenshire,  now  of  Williamstown, 
U.  S.,  a  gentleman  who  possesses  a  large  collection  of 
Violins,  and  who  is  also  author  of  a  Collection  of  Strath¬ 
speys  and  Reels.  In  this  invention,  the  extremities  of  the 
hair  are  inserted  under  two  metallic  hinges,  one  being  fixed 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


J23 


to  the  head,  the  other  to  the  nut.  The  former  is  kept  shut 
by  a  small  piece  of  wire,  which  passes  through  the  out¬ 
side  case  of  the  shutting  hinge,  whilst  the  latter  hinge  is 
closed  by  a  metallic  slide,  which  retains  the  hair  in  posi¬ 
tion,  as  in  the  ordinary  bow.  By  this  method  one  can  re¬ 
hair  the  bow  with  the  utmost  facility,  by  merely  taking  out 
the  pin,  slipping  off  the  slide,  and  inserting  the  new  hank, 
cut  to  the  proper  length.  Ironwood  bows  are  generally  too 
heavy,  and  lack  the  necessary  elasticity.  Steel  is  now  used 
in  the  formation  of  bows,  but  wood  will  always  have  the 
preference  over  metals  in  the  construction  of  such  an  article 
as  a  Violin-bow. 

A  recent  invention  is  that  of  Johnson  of  Cincinnati. 
This  Violin-bow  is  filled  with  fine  metal  strands,  and  is 
calculated  to  obviate  the  necessity  of  either  having  the  bow 
to  re-fill  every  few  months,  or  to  play  with  but  little  hair  in 
it,  which  is  always  an  inconvenience,  and  gives  a  poor  and 
squeaky  tone.  Johnson’s  Metallic  Patent  Bow  is  filled 
with  fine  metallic  threads,  about  the  size  of  horse-hair, 
having  the  strands  fastened  solid,  in  such  a  manner  that 
none  can  work  loose,  and  will  last  as  long  as  the  stick,  or 
any  other  part  of  the  bow,  which  is  not  usually  the  case 
with  other  bows.  The  sticks  are  of  Brazilwood  of  good 
quality,  of  medium  and  heavy  grade,  are  well  recommended, 
and  furnished  at  a  price  suitable  for  all  Violinists.  They 
take  rosin  freely,  and  vibrate  the  strings  with  force  and 
certainty. 

Space  will  not  permit  of  herein  including  a  practical 
description  of  bow-making,  but  the  amateur  will,  at  the 
present  day,  be  enabled  to  readily  purchase  excellent  bows 
at  a  medium  price,  as  he  cannot  do  better  than  supply  him¬ 
self  with  one  made  either  by  Vuillaume,  Dodd,  or  Johnson. 
The  price  of  Vuillaume’s  bows,  made  either  of  wood  or 
steel,  with  movable  hair,  and  mounted  in  silver,  are  30s. 
each ;  and  without  movable  hair,  plain  wood,  10s.  6d. 
Dodd’s  bows  are  sold  at  prices  varying  from  12s.  to  30s., 
according  to  quality  and  finish.  Johnson’s  Metallic  bows 
are  sold  at  12s.  6d.  each.  Tourte’s  bows  are  now  com¬ 
manding  fabulous  prices,  15,  20,  and  25  guineas  are  occa- 
sionallv  given.  The  essential  qualities  found  in  a  good 
bow,  are,  its  perfect  balance  and  levity,  strength  and  sta¬ 
bility,  possessing  the  necessary  flexibility,  and  straight  as 


124 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT 


an  arrow  from  heel  to  point,  as  observed  by  looking  along 
its  outer  side.  When  the  hair  of  the  bow  gets  dirty,  it  may 
be  readily  cleaned  by  washing  it  with  soap  and  water,  after 
which  it  should  be  sponged  with  cold  water  to  remove  all 
traces  of  soap,  and  then  allowed  to  dry.  In  conclusion,  let 
the  young  and  inexperienced  amateur  beware  of  buying 
any  of  the  detestable  rubbish  so  often  palmed  upon  the 
unwary  by  disreputable  dealers,  at  a  favorite  price  af  ys. 
6d.,  when,  for  the  difference  of  a  few  shillings,  he  would 
have  been  enabled  to  purchase  one  by  an  eminent  maker, 
from  a  respectable  house,  and  which  would  have  proved 
serviceable  to  him,  instead  of  the  former  foreign  and 
worthless  toy,  which  was  made  for  the  mere  purpose  of 
finding  its  way  into  the  market,  or  mart  of  the  cheat,  there 
to  be  sold  at  a  price  exceeding  six  times  its  original  cost. 

The  Rosin. 

Common  Rosin,  Colophony.  —  A  short  description  of 
this  substance  may  prove  interesting,  as,  to  the  Violinist, 
this  forms  an  article  of  indispensable  necessity.  Rosin  is 
the  residue  left  in  the  vessels  after  the  distillation  of  tur¬ 
pentine,  and  is  used  by  the  druggist  in  the  manufacture  of 
some  of  his  ointments,  by  the  colorman  in  his  varnishes, 
the  shoemaker  and  saddler  in  their  wax,  in  the  yellow 
soaps  of  the  soap-maker,  and  to  a  small  extent  by  the  per¬ 
fume-maker  ;  whilst  it  is  extensively  employed  by  the 
wholesale  manufacturer  in  extacting  the  various  oily  bodies 
which  it  produces  by  destructive  distillation,  and  which 
are  extensively  used  in  the  arts.  Its  specific  gravity  aver¬ 
ages  about  i‘o8o,  it  softens  at  i6o°,  and  enters  into  fusion 
at  2750.  When  the  common  rosin,  which  always  contains 
water,  is  deprived  of  this  by  fusion,  it  is  termed  brown  or 
black  rosin,  and  whilst  still  fluid,  if  agitated  with  about 
one-eighth  part  of  water,  and  dried,  it  forms  the  yellow 
rosin  of  the  chemist.  The  bleaching  of  common  rosin  has 
been  often  attempted,  but  with  unsuccessful  results,  but 
latterly  the  patented  process  of  Hunt  &  Pochin  has  enabled 
the  soap  and  varnish-makers  to  obtain  it  of  an  almost 
transparent  white. 

The  following  is  a  short  description  of  the  process  :  —  Or¬ 
dinary  rosin  is  placed  in  a  suitable  vessel,  and  then  melted, 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MANE  IT. 


I25 


and  whilst  fluid,  steam,  carbonic  acid,  or  a  mixture  of 
carbonic  acid  and  nitrogen  is  passed  through  the  mass, 
until  nearly  the  whole  has  been  distilled,  when  the  rosin  hav¬ 
ing  been  condensed  in  a  receiver,  surrounded  by  a  constant 
current  of  cold  water,  is  afterwards  dried,  and  will  then  be 
found  adapted  for  the  purposes  required.  Violinists’  rosin  of 
very  good  quality  may  be  made  from  Venice-turpentine. 
Otto’s  method  is  this  —  Put  a  quantity  of  Venice-turpentine 
into  a  pipkin,  add  a  little  water  to  it,  and  boil  for  two  or  three 
hours  over  a  slow  Are.  As  it  rises,  pour  in  small  quantities  of 
cold  water  to  keep  it  from  overflowing,  and  allow  a  drop  now 
and  again  to  cool  on  a  plate,  when  if  it  rubs  clear  between 
the  fingers,  without  sticking,  it  is  sufficiently  boiled.  When 
thus  boiled,  pour  it  into  cold  water,  work  it  well  with  the 
hands  to  press  out  the  water,  and  break  it  into  pieces  when 
cold  ;  expose  to  the  sun  and  air  until  all  the  moisture  is 
evaporated,  and  the  rosin  quite  transparent.  Many  Vio¬ 
linists  adopt  a  method  of  purifying,  and  rendering  the 
rosin  more  transparent,  by  boiling  it  in  vinegar,  and  whilst 
it  is  warm  it  is  poured  into  paper  moulds,  after  which  it  is 
exposed  for  some  time  to  the  sun  and  air.  The  purest  and 
finest  rosin  for  the  Violin  is  that  made  from  pure  Venice- 
turpentine.  The  Violinists  of  Vienna  and  several  of  the  other 
continental  capitals  are  now  using  liquid  colophony,  instead 
of  solid  rosin.  The  mixture  is  applied  with  a  camel’s-hair 
brush,  and  is  said  neither  to  injure  the  bow  nor  the  strings 
of  the  instrument,  and  to  last  one  hundred  hours’  playing. 
It  is  also  stated  that  the  strings  give  out  a  clearer  tone  than 
when  solid  rosin  is  used,  but  the  latter  will  always  have  the 
preference. 

The  Strings. 

Gut  Strings.  —  In  the  manufacture  of  Violin-strings 
there  are  various  separate  operations  undergone  ere  the 
article  in  its  finished  form  is  arrived  at.  There  are  manu¬ 
factories  of  musical  strings  in  Italy,  Germany,  France,  and 
England.  Strings  vary  very  much  in  quality,  but  certain 
it  is  that  our  English  friends  can  in  nowise  worthily  com¬ 
pete  with  the  Italian,  German,  and  French  manufacturer 
in  this  well-known  article.  The  Italian  strings  possess  the 
greatest  durability  as  well  as  the  best  quality  of  sound. 
Whether  the  muscular  thalms  of  our  mountain  sheep  are 


1 26 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


equal  in  quality  to  those  of  Italy,  Germany,  or  France, 
is  a  question  for  others  to  investigate,  but  the  fact  is  unde¬ 
niable  that  the  Italian,  German,  and  French  musical  strings 
are  vastly  superior  to  those  of  English  manufacture.  Vio¬ 
lin-strings  are  made  from  the  smaller  muscular  intestines 
of  the  sheep.  Catgut  is  an  old  and  almost  universal  cog¬ 
nomen  for  the  material  forming  the  Violin-string,  and 
which  undoubtedly  has  led  many  of  the  ignorant  to  fanci¬ 
fully  imagine  that  such  strings  are  made  from  the  muscular 
intestinal  fibres  of  our  whiskered  fireside-favorite,  the  cat, 
but  when  or  where  this  term  first  originated  is  a  mystery. 

Sheep  of  a  small  size,  which  have  been  fed  upon  dry, 
mountainous  pasture,  are  those  preferably  selected  by  the 
string  manufacturer.  The  finest  Italian  strings  are  made 
from  the  intestines  of  the  lamb,  or  those  sheep  which  have 
been  killed  during  their  first  year  s  growth.  In  Italy  the 
lambs  are  generally  commenced  to  be  slaughtered  about 
Easter,  at  which  period  the  string-makers  begin  to  furnish 
themselves  with  the  raw  materials.  Those  intestines  being 
premature,  soft,  and  porous,  are  chiefly  used  for  the  manu¬ 
facture  of  the  larger  strings.  The  finer  class  of  first,  or  E 
strings,  are  manufactured  throughout  the  months  of  June, 
July,  August,  and  September,  and  subsequent  to  this  latter 
month  the  manufacture  ceases  until  the  following  summer. 
When  the  sheep  have  been  slaughtered,  and  whilst  still  warm, 
the  small  intestines  are  carefully  taken  out  by  the  workmen 
and  cleaned.  In  this  operation  the  intestines  are  steeped 
in  cold  soft  water,  for  a  period  varying  from  12  to  24  hours, 
during  which  time  the  water  is  several  times  changed, 
after  which  they  are  subjected  for  several  hours  to  a  cur¬ 
rent  of  hot  water,  which  tends  to  separate  the  muscular 
membrane  from  its  skinny  and  mucous  coatings.  Those 
coatings  are  afterwards  roughly  removed  by  the  scraper, 
when  the  remaining  muscular  membranes  are  repeatedly 
cleaned  and  soaked  in  an  alkaline  solution,  this  latter  opera¬ 
tion  occupying  several  days.  The  membranes  now  having 
been  thoroughly  cleaned,  are  arranged  according  to  their 
size  and  quality-  Those  of  the  largest  and  most  irregular 
dimensions  are  split  and  made  uniform  in  diameter,  after 
which  the  whole  are  carefully  assorted  into  separate  bundles, 
each  lot  corresponding  with  the  No.  of  string  it  may  be 
intended  for  in  the  subsequent  process,  viz.,  that  of  spin- 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


I  2  7 

ning.  Manual  labor  is  frequently  employed  in  this,  as 
well  as  the  subsequent  operations  of  finishing  and  wire¬ 
covering,  but  in  the  larger  manufactories  this  is  now 
supplanted  by  steam  motive  power.  The  spinning  wheels 
are  of  simple  construction,  and  the  mechanism  is  such  that 
a  multiform  movement  is  given  to  the  wheel  upon  which 
the  strings  are  attached.  The  strings,  whilst  moist,  are  sub¬ 
jected  to  a  slight  degree  of  twisting,  after  which  they  are 
exposed  in  bleaching  chambers  to  the  fumes  of  sulphur, 
for  a  period  varying  from  2  to  10  days.  During  this  inter¬ 
val  the  torsion  is  several  times  gradually  augmented  by 
spinning,  until  they  are  of  a  firm  consistence,  when  they 
pass  through  the  process  of  finishing.  In  order  to  attain 
this  latter  and  important  object,  the  strings  are  subjected 
to  a  sustained  friction,  by  being  partly  covered  with  a  helD 
of  horse-hair,  or  tube  of  haircloth,  to  which  motion  is  im¬ 
parted,  by  which  they  are  rendered  of  a  uniform  diameter. 
They  are  now  dried  and  polished,  by  being  rubbed  with  a 
piece  of  cloth,  upon  which  has  been  sprinkled  a  mixture  of 
olive-oil  and  ground  pumice,  after  which  they  are  moistened 
with  olive  or  almond-oil,  to  which  a  quantity  of  creosote 
or  oil  of  laurel  is  added,  when  they  are  afterwards  suffi¬ 
ciently  dried,  and  made  into  bundles  of  15  or  30,  each  helix 
containing  three  or  four  lengths  of  string,  as  the  case  may 
be.  The  chief  seats  of  the  string  manufacture  are  at 
Rome,  Padua,  Naples,  Verona,  Saxony,  and  Paris. 

Silk  Strings. 

Silk  Strings  are  now  in  common  use  by  many  Vio¬ 
linists,  especially  by  the  open-air  musician,  and  the  country 
ball  player.  They  withstand  the  effects  of  the  perspiration 
better  than  gut,  whilst  they  are  not  so  liable  to  break  from 
the  variations  of  temperature  and  dryness,  arising  from  a 
crowded  atmosphere,  but  their  sound  is  shrill,  and  in 
nowise  to  be  compared  with  that  of  the  finest  Roman 
strings.  They  were  first  manufactured  in  China,  although 
there  are  now  several  manufactories  throughout  Europe. 
Being  subjected  to  a  strong  tension  in  their  manufacture, 
they  are  difficult  to  adjust  in  tune,  consequently  they 
stretch  but  little.  They  are  usually  formed  of  140  strands, 
the  strand  containing  12  threads  of  silk,  from  the  worm, 


128 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT, 


making  a  total  of  1680  threads  in  each  string.  They  are 
manufactured  by  special  spinning-mechanism,  and  when 
finished  they  are  coated  with  gum-arabic  and  polished  with 
white  wax. 

Twisted  silk  first  strings  are  generally  rough,  and  con¬ 
tain  a  number  of  silk  filaments  which  project  from  the  sur¬ 
face  of  the  string,  causing  often  a  harshness  in  the  sounds 
emitted.  This  defect  may  be  remedied  thus  :  —  Pour  a  small 
quantity  of  strong  spirits  into  a  shallow*  vessel,  as  a  saucer, 
and  light  it,  then  draw  the  whole  length  of  the  string  evenly 
and  quickly  over  the  flame  of  the  spirits,  which  will  con¬ 
sume  all  the  outstanding  filaments,  after  which,  rub  the 
string  several  times  with  a  piece  of  gauze  or  taffeta.  By 
this  operation  the  string  is  rendered  more  elastic,  and  the 
tone  is  much  improved. 

Covered  Strings. 

Covered  Strings  are  formed  from  gut  or  silk,  and 
have  a  covering  of  fine  wire  wound  round  their  surface, 
which  augments  their  mass.  The  wire  is  made  of  copper, 
silver,  gold,  or  platina,  as  the  case  may  be.  Common 
Violin  fourth  strings  are  made  of  gut,  upon  which  is 
twisted  a  covering  of  fine  copper,  or  silvered  copper  wire, 
but  for  the  execution  of  Violin  solos  upon  the  fourth  string, 
silver  wire  is  substituted,  which  is  generally  of  remarkably 
fine  quality,  and  wound  so  close  and  equal  as  to  be  scarcely 
perceptible.  We  have  now  fourth  strings  covered  wdth  a 
combination  of  metals,  which  tends  to  counteract  the 
increase  in  pitch  so  prevalent  in  the  old  strings,  arising 
from  contraction  and  expansion. 

In  small  manufactories  the  strings  are  covered  by  means 
of  a  small  wheel,  driven  by  hand,  in  the  surface  of  which  a 
small  hook  is  inserted,  for  the  purpose  of  holding  one  end  of 
the  string,  whilst  the  other  is  fixed  to  a  swivel.  Another 
string  is  attached  to  this  swivel,  which  passes  over  a  pulley, 
and  has  a  weight  suspended,  which  keeps  the  string  to  be 
covered  at  a  proper  stretch  ;  the  wheel  is  turned,  causing 
the  string  to  revolve,  upon  which  the  thin  wire  is  regularly 
and  uniformly  wound.  In  large  establishments  this  ancient 
method  is  supplanted  by  intricate  machinery,  by  which 
means  enormous  lengths  of  strings  are  covered  in  a  few 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


129 

hours.  An  early  patent  tor  the  manufacture  of  such  strings, 
by  a  process  somewhat  similar  to  that  already  described, 
was  obtained  by  William  Lovelace,  on  January  31st,  1772, 
No.  1001 .  The  intestines,  after  having  been  scraped,  soaked, 
and  twisted,  were  bleached  with  sulphur  and  oiled,  (the 
two  latter  processes  being  now  discontinued  in  the  man¬ 
ufacture  of  strings  intended  to  be  wire-covered,)  after  which 
they  were  covered  in  the  following  manner,  as  given  by 
the  patentee  :  —  “  Let  two  wheels,  with  grooves  on  their 
edges,  be  fixed  on  a  frame  close  and  similar  to  each  other. 
Wind  the  string  round  the  rim  of  one  of  these  wheels,  put 
the  other  end  of  the  string  through  a  hollow  iron-turned 
stud,  and  fasten  it  to  the  rim  of  the  other  wheel,  upon  the 
other  iron  stud,  whose  bore  must  be  in  a  line  with  the 
upper  edges  of  these  wheels  or  pulleys,  so  as  not  to  draw 
the  string  from  a  right  line.  On  the  stud  there  must  be  a 
pulley,  for  the  band  of  a  large  wheel  to  move  it  round,  and 
on  the  flat  of  this  pulley  must  be  a  stud,  with  a  bobbin 
filled  with  wire,  to  move  round  the  stud  with  a  proper 
degree  of  stiffness  to  bind  the  wire  tight  upon  the  string. 
When  this  pulley  is  set  in  motion,  the  end  of  the  wire  from 
the  bobbin  being  fastened  to  the  string,  it  will  be  wound 
round  the  string  with  very  little  strain  upon  the  string,  and 
as  it  winds  round  the  string  it  will  be  conveyed  from  the 
wheel  or  pulley  on  which  the  string  was  first  wound  upon 
the  other  ;  by  reason  that  the  string  but  just  fills  the  bore 
of  the  stud,  weights  or  springs  must  be  used  to  the  two 
pulleys  to  give  the  string  a  proper  tension.”  A  patent  for 
a  method  of  making  silk  strings  was  obtained  by  Peter 
Nouaille,  on  January  22nd,  1 774,  No.  1062.  Raw  silk  of 
the  finest  and  whitest  quality  is  soaked  in  an  animal  or 
vegetable  mucus,  then  spun  into  strings,  after  which  they 
are  varnished.  A  method  of  rendering  gut,  silk,  or  other 
strings  waterproof  was  patented  by  Isaac  Hawkins,  No. 
2446,  November  13,  1800.  A  patent  for  an  improvement  in 
covering  strings  with  gold  or  platina  wire,  was  obtained 
by  William  Bundy,  on  April  24,  1811,  No.  3436  ;  whilst  in 
18^4,  March  1 1,  No.  589,  John  Maynard  claims  provisional 
protection  for  an  improvement  in  covering  strings,  from 
wire  made  from  a  particular  composition  of  metals. 


i3° 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


Characteristics  of  Good  Strings. 

A  good  Violin-string  ought  to  be  perfectly  cylindrical 
from  one  extremity  to  the  other,  having  a  regular  thickness 
throughout,  and  possess  the  necessary  elasticity.  A  packet 
of  strings  upon  being  compressed,  or  bent  together,  ought  not 
to  change  color,  or  the  united  parts  to  break,  but  to  quickly 
return  to  their  original  shape.  They  ought  also  to  be 
transparent  throughout  their  entire  length,  like  a  thread 
of  glass,  and  possess  no  wavy  or  curled  markings.  The 
best  second  and  third  strings  are  of  a  transparent  white  ; 
the  firsts  not  being  so  white,  but  perfectly  transparent.  If 
the  first  strings  are  very  white,  we  may  safely  assume  that 
they  have  been  made  from  the  intestines  of  animals  which 
have  been  prematurely  used  by  the  manufacturer.  The 
strings  should  be  now  and  again  oiled,  preserved  in  oil¬ 
paper  or  bladder,  and  laid  aside  in  covered  tin  boxes,  in  a 
dry  place.  For  oiling  the  strings,  a  small  piece  of  woolen 
or  other  cloth  may  be  used,  upon  which  a  few  drops  of 
olive  or  almond-oil  are  poured.  If  olive-oil  is  used,  it 
should  be  purified  by  a  mixture  of  lime  and  lead,  until  it  is 
perfectly  limpid.  The  first  string  should  require  a  tension 
of  15  pounds  to  bring  it  to  opera  pitch;  the  second  1 7 
pounds  ;  the  third  and  fourth  about  tbe  same  as  the  first. 

We  must  carefully  observe  that  the  tone  of  any  Violin  is 
very  perceptibly  affected  by  the  size  of  the  strings,  as  if  not 
in  due  proportion  the  one  to  the  other,  no  uniformity  of 
tone  or  power  will  be  obtained.  The  peculiarities  of  the 
strings  which  prove  individually  suitable  to  the  different 
classes  of  Violins  must  also  be  judiciously  studied,  as  the 
instruments  vary  so  much  in  this  respect,  that  a  string 
which  is  perfection  to  one  is  destruction  to  another,  but 
generally  speaking,  all  the  ancient  instruments  require  to 
be  lightly  strung,  in  order  to  effectively  evoke  their  purity 
of  tone,  and  freedom  of  vibration.'  If  tile  strings  are  too 
thin  or  light,  the  tone  of  such  will  be  weak  and  feeble,  whilst 
on  the  contrary,  if  too  thick  or  heavy,  the  sounds  will  be 
hard  and  coarse,  and  an  unnecessary  strain  and  pressure 
will  be  exerted  on  the  bridge. 

Many  of  the  common-class  Violins  require  the  strings  to 
be  over-tight  ere  they  can  be  brought  to  pitch,  causing  end- 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT 


l3l 


less  ruptures,  but  a  well-made  Violin  never  requires  this 
overstraining  or  tightening  in  order  to  bring  it  to  pitch. 
The  fingering  also  varies  on  some  Violins,  even  although 
they  may  be  of  precisely  similar  lengths  of  finger-board. 

From  the  preceding  cursory  remarks  the  reader  will 
easily  discern  that  the  strings  form  an  important  item  in 
the  correct  adjustment  of  the  instrument. 

CHAPTER  X. 

VARNISHES,  STAINS,  ETC. 

The  Cremona  Varnish  !  How  many  minds  have  been 
eagerly  and  enthusiastically  bent  upon  the  solution  of  the 
query  as  to  the  composition  of  this  beautiful  and  diapha¬ 
nous  substance  !  Volumes  have  been  written  containing  the 
authors’  choicest  receipts  for  this  varnish,  or  rather  its  imi¬ 
tation,  but  with  what  result  —  despondency  ;  for  the  com¬ 
mon  cry  is,  “The  secret  is  lost,  never  to  be  regained.”  A 
few  enthusiastic  writers  have  even  gone  so  far  as  to  declare 
that  the  varnish  made  the  Violin,  or,  in  other  words,  that 
the  superiority  of  our  ancient  instruments  arose  solely  from 
the  excellent  qualities  of  their  varnish  —  an  idea  so  mon¬ 
strous  and  opposed  to  reason,  that  they  might,  with  equal 
probability,  have  concluded  that  a  worthless  Violin  only 
required  to  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  an  eminent  player,  in 
order  to  be  transmuted  into  one  of  the  finest  and  most 
bewitching-toned  instruments  which  ever  graced  the 
orchestra. 

That  the  varnish  bears  an  important  influence  upon  the 
quality  of  the  instrument  is  not  to  be  doubted,  but  this  in¬ 
fluence  must  be  regarded  in  a  modified  degree.  Would  the 
so-called  re-discovered  Cremona  varnish  of  Monsieur  Grivel 
if  applied  to  a  faulty-constructed  instrument,  ever  render  it 
a  good  one?  Never;  for  the  fault,  arising  from  malcon- 
struction,  would  never  be  redeemed  by  the  application  of  a 
coating  of  varnish.  The  Cremona  varnish  was  considered 

o 

bv  many  makers  to  be  composed  principally  of  amber  dis¬ 
solved  in  some  suitable  fluid,  which  solvent  has  now  unfor¬ 
tunately  been  lost  in  oblivion,  whilst  others  adopted  a  some¬ 
what  different  theory  by  supposing  the  amber  had  been 
dissolved  in  oil,  constituting  the  old  u  oil -varnish,”  of  a 


132 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  7  O  MAKE  IT. 


somewhat  similar  nature  to  the  common  amber  oil-varnish. 

There  is  every  probability  for  supposing  that  this  ancient 
varnish  was  an  oil  one,  or  at  least  that  the  first  coatings  of 
varnish  applied  to  the  instrument  were  such,  for  Lupot,  in 
his  excellent  work,  confirms  this,  wherein  he  states  that  the 
substratum  of  the  varnish  should  be  44  bonne  huile  fine  ;  ” 
and  another  fact  of  significant  importance  is,  that  in  a  letter 
of  Stradivarius  to  a  clergyman  —  a  facsimile  of  which  is 
contained  in  the  learned  work  of  Fetis  —  he  states,  44  Com- 
patira  la  tardanza  del  Violino ,  per che  e  stato  la  causa 
per  la  vernice  per  la  gran  crepate  die  il  sole  non  le  faccia 
aprire 44  Pardon  the  delay  of  the  Violin,  occasioned 
from  the  varnishing  of  the  large  cracks,  that  the  sun  may 
not  re-open  them  ”  —  a  delay  which  had  been  caused  from 
the  varnishing  (drying).  It  is  evident  this  had  been  an  oil- 
varnish,  as  no  apology  would  have  been  required  if  spirit- 
varnish  had  been  used,  on  account  of  the  shortness  of  time 
taken  by  it  to  dry.  Monsieur  Grivel  states  that  alcohol 
removes  the  Cremona  varnish  —  so  it  does,  but  this  is  no 
proof  that  the  Cremona  varnish  was  a  spirit  one.  If  we 
make  a  varnish  composed  of  any  resin  which  is  soluble  in 
oil  or  alcohol,  such  as  common  rosin,  Venice-turpentine, 
Canada-balsam,  etc.,  with  a  certain  proportion  of  oil,  and 
a  solvent  capable  of  dissolving  both  oil  and  resin,  as  spirits 
of  turpentine,  mineral  naptha,  etc.,  we  will  find  that  this 
varnish,  on  drying,  will  leave  a  slight  film  of  the  gum  or 
resin,  which  can  easilv  be  removed  by  alcohol. 

As  a  proof  of  this,  let  the  amateur  try  the  following  ex¬ 
periment : —  Mix  a  small  quantity  of  Venice-turpentine 
with  drying-oil,  and  boil  the  mixture  for  a  short  time,  then 
dissolve  the  product  in  mineral  naptha,  when  the  result 
will  be  a  beautiful  golden-colored  varnish  that  will  give  a 
good  surface  if  applied  sparingly,  but  will  sink  into  the 
wood  if  used  too  thickly.  This  varnish,  when  dry,  will  be 
brought  off  immediately  by  pure  alcohol.  Mineral  naptha 
dissolves  most  of  the  resins,  unites  in  all  proportions  with 
strong  alcohol,  ether,  and  the  essential  oils,  and  extracts 
the  color  from  numerous  roots  and  woods  used  as  stains  in 
varnishes.  The  disagreeable  odor  of  this  solvent  soon  van¬ 
ishes  by  evaporation  ;  and  from  being  a  natural  product  in 
Italy,  may  it  not,  with  every  reason,  be  supposed  that  this 
formed  one  of  the  solvents  in  the  oil-varnish  of  the  old 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


J33 


Cremona  makers?  From  certain  experiments  made  with  a 
varnish  composed  of  essential  oils  and  gums,  having  naptha 
as  a  partial  solvent,  I  found  the  tone  of  a  new  Violin  very 
perceptibly  improved  by  the  application  of  such  varnish. 
I  at  first  used  one  composed  of  gums  dissolved  in  alcohol, 
by  which  the  tone  was  rendered  harsh  and  grating ;  where¬ 
as,  upon  the  application  of  the  former  varnish,  the  volume 
of  tone  was  not  only  increased  in  fulness,  but  a  bland  and 
sustained  mellowness  was  combined  therewith. 

Several  writers,  including  Prince  Youssopow,  are  of 
opinion  that  certain  of  the  ethers  were  the  chief  solvents 
used  in  some  of  the  amber  varnishes  of  the  seventeenth 
century.  This  may  not  be  altogether  erroneous,  for  al¬ 
though  all  the  varnishes  of  the  Cremonese  artists  were  purely 
oil  ones,  or  at  least  that  their  chief  liquid  basis  was  an  es¬ 
sential  oil,  still  in  a  minority  of  instances  we  find  a  spirit- 
varnish  employed.  Guarnerius  sometimes  used  light  spir¬ 
ituous  varnish,  but  always  to  attain  a  harmonious  result, 
and  to  be  in  keeping  with  the  instrument.  Stradivarius 
even  made  different  varnishes,  some  much  richer  and  pret¬ 
tier  than  others,  but  those  varnishes  all  look  as  if  made 
specially  for  the  particular  instrument  they  cover,  for  the 
simple  reason  that  they  are  both  in  harmony. 

Peter  Guarnerius  had  perhaps  the  richest,  and  the  most 
beautiful  varnish  of  all  the  ancient  artists,  but  as  his  instru¬ 
ments  are  always  highly  built  and  heavily  wooded,  they  are 
not  nearly  so  effective  as  many  of  those  of  the  other  makers. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  the  ancient  artists  kept  the  secret  of 
the  varnishes  among  themselves,  as  Fetis  observes  that 
towards  the  latter  end  of  the  eighteenth  century,  one  of  the 
Amati  family  who  was  employed  in  the  workshop  of  Lupot, 
preferred  to  leave  his  master  rather  than  divulge  his  family 
secret  —  the  method  of  varnish-making.  There  are,  how¬ 
ever,  some  of  our  modern  varnishes  which  possess  real  ex¬ 
cellence,  as  from  specimens  shown  me  by  Dr.  Dickson  of 
Edinburgh,  and  Mr.  Heaps  of  Leeds,  there  is  every  proba¬ 
bility  of  genuine  success  in  this  formidable  but  important 
branch  of  the  art,  for  they  appear  to  embrace  all  the  beauty, 
mellowness,  and  transparency  of  the  varnishes  of  the  an¬ 
cient  artists,  although  it  will  be  for  future  amateurs  to  judge 
of  their  permanency. 

The  chief  difficulties  presented  to  the  modern  maker  are 


*34 


TIIE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


tne  translucency  and  transparency  m  the  beautiful  colors 
adopted  by  the  Brescian  and  Cremonse  artists.  The  chem¬ 
istry  of  permanent  colors  —  lost  to  us  —  was  well  known  to 
the  ancient  artists.  Where  amongst  our  painters  are  we  to 
search  for  the  artists  who  can  decorate  our  walls  with  im¬ 
perishable  colors  ?  Ages  after  our  pigmy  buildings  will  have 
crumbled  into  dust,  and  the  cities  enclosing  them  will  them¬ 
selves  have  become  shapeless  heaps  of  bricks  and  mortar, 
with  forgotten  names  —  long  after  that  will  the  walls  of  Kar- 
nack  and  Luxor  be  still  standing;  and  the  gorgeous  mural 
paintings  of  the  latter  will  doubtless  be  as  bright  and  vivid 
4000  years  hence  as  they  were  4000  years  ago  and  are 
to-day. 

The  Cremona  makers  no  doubt  had  been  led  to  adopt  oil 
as  one  of  the  chief  constituents  in  their  varnish,  from  the  fact 
that  such  would  tend  to  give  the  dissolved  gums  a  certain 
amount  of  elasticity,  which  never  could  be  obtained  by  the 
employment  of  alcohol  alone  as  a  solvent.  The  spirit-var¬ 
nishes  dry  quickly,  but  unless  mixed,  their  chief  disadvan¬ 
tages  are  their  want  of  elasticity  and  aptitude  to  crack  and 
peel  ofl,  whereas  in  a  mixed,  or  good  oil-varnish,  the  for¬ 
mer  defect  is  greatly  ameliorated,  and  the  latter  is  almost 
entirely  obviated.  Oil-varmshes  are  also  the  most  durable 
and  lustrous,  and  yield  better  to  the  operation  of  polishing 
than  spirit-varnish. 

The  following  receipts  for  varnishes  have  been  more  or 
less  used  by  Violin-makers.  No.  2  was  kindly  given  the 
Author  by  one  of  our  most  eminent  Scottish  makers,  who 
obtained  it  from  the  well-known  Hardies  of  Edinburgh 
many  years  ago.  The  following  short  description  of  the 
chief  substances  used  in  the  composition  of  the  varnishes 
may  not  be  out  of  place  here  :  — 

Amber  is  a  fossilized  vegetable  gum  or  resin  of  the  ex¬ 
tinct  comferre  tribe,  forests  of  which  were  abundant  at  an 
early  epoch  over  Northern  Europe.  Anciently  a  fabulous 
origin  was  attributed  to  it,  as  from  its  having  been  found 
on  the  sea-shore  after  a  tempest,  it  was  believed  to  have  been 
the  solidified  tears  of  the  sea-nymphs,  or  of  the  sisters  of 
Phaeton.  It  is  generally  found  in  irregular-shaped  masses 
of  no  great  size,  the  color  varying  from  a  light  yellow  to  a 
deep  orange,  having  various  degrees  of  transparency,  some 
pieces  being  entirely  opaque.  The  milky  or  cloudy- colored 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


T35 


pieces  have  the  most  value,  as  the  clear  semi-transparent 
pieces  can  be  easily  imitated  by  copal  or  other  gums. 

To  the  varnish-maker,  the  most  transparent  are  equally 
valuable,  as  the  milky-colored  pieces  are  used  chiefly  by  the 
carver  and  turner. 

By  friction  it  becomes  negatively  electrical,  indeed,  so 
much  so,  that  the  workmen  in  turning  it  are  often  affected 
by  nervous  twitchings,  and  are  frequently  obliged  to  change 
the  pieces  they  are  handling.  Many  animal  and  vegetable 
remains  are  to  be  often  found  embedded  in  some  of  the  pieces, 
as  insects,  leaves,  etc.,  specimens  of  which  are  to  be  found 
in  our  national  museums.  When  heated,  it  exhales  a  fragrant 
odor,  hence  its  being  a  favorite  with  the  meerschaum  pipe- 
maker  ;  it  burns  with  a  yellowish  flame,  leaving  a  shiny 
bituminous  deposit.  Auiber  is  found  on  the  beach  in  Nor¬ 
folk,  Suffolk,  Isle  of  Wight,  and  North  of  Scotland,  as 
well  as  in  parts  of  America  and  India,  and  in  Prussia  mines 
exist  of  this  singular  substance.  It  is  also  exported  from 
Japan. 

It  is  somewhat  brittle,  and  breaks  in  conchoidal  frag¬ 
ments.  Absolute  alcohol  extracts  about  one-ninth  of  its 
weight  of  pulverised  amber,  and  in  pure  chloroform  it  is 
dissolved  readily,  whilst  ether  dissolves  from  ten  to  twelve 
per  cent,  of  it ;  it  is  also  entirely  soluble  in  a  mixture  of 
alcohol  and  spirits  of  turpentine  heated  in  a  close  vessel. 
Amber,  after  having  been  kept  in  a  close  vessel,  at  a  high 
temperature,  becomes  completely  soluble  in  alcohol. 

Benzoin,  or  Benjamin,  is  a  somewhat  costly  gum-resin, 
and  is  but  little  used  in  varnishes.  It  is  brittle,  breaks  with 
a  conchoidal  fracture,  and  fuses  at  a  gentle  heat.  It  readily 
dissolves  in  alcohol,  to  which  it  imparts  an  agreeable  odor. 
It  is  obtained  from  a  tree  which  grows  abundantly  in  the 
islands  of  Sumatra  and  Java,  also  in  Cochin-China  and  on 
the  coast  of  Malabar.  The  white  tears,  or  those  pieces 
possessing  the  least  color,  should  preferably  be  selected  for 
varnish-making. 

Canada-Balsam  is  obtained  from  a  tree  of  the  same 
name,  which  is  very  abundant  throughout  Canada.  It  is 
perfectly  transparent,  having  an  agreeable  odor,  and  is 
wholly  soluble  in  rectified  oil  of  turpentine. 


136 


THE  VIOLIN:  IIOIV  TO  MAKE  IT. 


Copal  is  a  gum-resin  which  exudes  naturally  from  a  tree 
which  grows  in  New  Spain  and  the  East  Indies.  In  dura¬ 
bility  it  ranks  second  to  amber  as  a  varnish,  and  when  of 
excellent  quality  is  too  hard  to  be  scratched  by  the  nail. 
It  is  only  partially  soluble  in  alcohol,  but  is  freely  so  in  ether. 
Fused  copal  is  completely  soluble  in  boiling  alcohol,  or 
spirits  of  turpentine.  Copal  is  freely  soluble  in  oil  of  rose¬ 
mary,  or  spike-lavendar,  and  the  addition  of  any  of  those 
oils  to  alcohol  promotes  its  solubility.  It  is  also  wholly 
dissolved  in  oil  of  turpentine,  which  has  been  ozonized  or 
exposed  for  a  length  of  time  to  the  light.  The  clearest  pieces 
are  to  be  selected  in  the  preparation  of  varnish. 

Elemi. — There  are  several  varieties  of  this  gum,  but 
that  which  is  imported  from  Ethiopia  is  the  best  and  most 
valuable.  Elemi  is  so  liable  to  adulteration,  that  there  is 
much  difficulty  in  obtaining  it  pure.  The  common  gum  is 
of  a  yellow  color,  but  genuine  Ethiopian  elemi  is  of  a  green¬ 
ish  color,  mixed  with  reddish  stripes,  of  a  solid  body,  but 
softens  by  the  heat  of  the  hand,  and  emits  a  very  agreeable 
odor,  resembling  fennel.  It  is  wholly  dissolved  by  alcohol, 
and  is  generally  imported  in  pieces,  which  are  surrounded 
by  the  leaves  of  the  palm-tree  or  Indian  cane.  The  addi¬ 
tion  of  this  gum  to  varnish  promotes  its  toughness  and 
durability. 

Lac  is  a  resinous  gum  which  results  from  the  puncture 
of  a  small  winged  ant,  upon  the  twigs  of  various  trees, 
which  grow  in  several  parts  of  India.  There  are  several 
varieties  of  this  substance,  distinguished  thus  :  stick-lac, 
seed-lac,  shell-lac,  etc.  Stick-lac  is  that  which  is  allowed 
to  remain  upon  the  small  branches  ;  seed-lac,  that  which 
has  been  taken  off  such  twigs,  and  this  lac  melted,  and  run 
into  thin  scales  or  plates,  forms  shell-lac.  Seed-lac  forms 
a  strong  and  tough  varnish,  which  is  often  applied  to 
the  Violin  and  Violoncello,  but  possesses  little  or  no  elas¬ 
ticity.  Shell-lac  is  used  in  the  common  hard  varnishes,  and 
forms  the  chief  ingredient  in  the  various  French-polishes. 
Lac  is  soluble  in  alcohol,  in  a  solution  of  borax  and  hot 
water,  ammonia,  naptha,  etc.  There  is  another  species  of 
lac,  of  a  white  color,  and  opaque,  which  has  undergone 
the  operation  of  bleaching  by  chlorine.  This  variety  is 
termed  bleached-lac,  and  is  now  much  used  in  the  2^repa- 
ration  of  varnishes. 


TIIE  VIOLIN:  IIOW  TO  MANE  IT. 


r37 


Mastic  is  a  gum-resin  which  exudes  from  the  bark  of  a 
tree  which  grows  abundantly  in  the  Levant.  It  is  gener¬ 
ally  sold  in  small  round  tears  of  a  yellowish  color,  which 
are  transparent.  It  is  freely  soluble  in  alcohol,  and  oil  of 
turpentine,  and  is  employed  chiefly  to  give  toughness  and 
hardness  to  varnish  which  is  intended  lor  polishing. 

Sandarac  is  obtained  from  a  species  of  juniper  w  hich 
grows  in  Africa.  It  is  usually  in  the  form  of  elongated 
tears  or  drops,  of  a  pale  yellow  color,  and  is  freely  soluble 
in  alcohol.  If  much  of  this  substance  enters  into  the  com¬ 
position  of  a  varnish,  it  is  rendered  very  brilliant,  but  soft, 
and  is  easily  scratched  by  the  least  friction. 

Turpentine. — Ot  turpentine  there  are  several  varieties, 
as  Chio,  Strasburg,  Bordeaux,  Venice,  Oil  (spirit  or 
essence)  of,  and  the  common  turpentine.  They  are  all  ob¬ 
tained  from  species  of  pine  or  larch  trees.  Ihe  Chio  tur¬ 
pentine  is  greatly  esteemed,  but  is  much  adulterated.  This 
species  when  pure  has  a  warm  and  acrid  taste,  and  pos¬ 
sesses  a  strong  balsamic  odor.  That  of  Strasburg  is  pro¬ 
duced  from  a  species  of  silver-fir  of  Bordeaux,  of  a  somew  hat 
similar  nature.  That  of  Venice  is  extracted  from  a  species 
of  larch,  and  is  of  the  consistence  of  treacle  or  honey,  whilst 
common  turpentine  is  so  well  known  as  to  require  no  de¬ 
scription.  The  oil,  spirit,  or  essence  of  turpentine  is  dis¬ 
tilled  from  a  mixture  of  the  common  or  American  turpen¬ 
tine  and  wrater,  and  is  a  clear,  limpid,  and  colorless  fluid, 
possessing  an  agreeable  fragrance  when  newly  prejoared, 
or  kept  excluded  from  light,  or  the  oxygen  of  the  atmos¬ 
phere.  The  foregoing  include  all  the  chief  substances 
employed  in  the  formation  of  the  following  varnishes  :  — 

Oil- Varnishes. 


No.  i. 


Amber,  coarsely  powdered,  .... 

2  OZ. 

Venice-turpentine,  ..... 

2  fl.  drs. 

Prepared  Linseed-oil,  ..... 

Ij  fl.  oz. 

Oil  of  Turpentine,  ..... 

I  fl.  oz. 

Dissolve  by  heat. 

No.  2. 

Amber,  fused, . 

.  2  OZ. 

Oil  of  Turpentine, . 

•  5  “ 

Drying  Linseed-oil, . 

•  5  “ 

Dissolve  by  heat. 

THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


!3S 


No.  % 


Amber,  fused, . .  6 

Lac,  »  .  •  a  •  •  •  • 

Drying  Linseed-oil,  . 

Oil  of  Turpentine,  . 

Dissolve  the  lac  separately,  then  add  the  amber,  and 
solve  by  heat. 


4  02. 

i  “ 

4  “ 

8  “ 

thoroughly  dis- 


No.  4. 

Clear  and  pale  African  copal,  .  .  .  1  pound. 

Pale  drying-oil,  ......  1  quart. 

Rectified  oil  of  Turpentine,  ....  3  pints. 

Boil  the  copal  and  drying-oil  till  stringy,  then  thin  with  the  turpentine, 
and  strain  immediately  mto  the  store  jar.  This  varnish  is  hard 
and  durable,  and  dries  hard  in  from  12  to  24  hours. 

No.  5. 

Clear  pale  rosin,  ......  3^  pounds. 

Oil  of  Turpentine,  .....  1  gallon. 

Dissolve.  This  is  the  varnish  generally  used  on  the  cheap  Violins. 

No.  6, 

Colorless  Copal-Varnish.  —  To  prepare  this  varnish  the  copal  must 
be  picked,  each  piece  then  broken,  upon  which  a  drop  or  two  of  rose¬ 
mary-oil  is  to  be  poured ;  the  pieces  which  become  soft  upon  the  appli¬ 
cation  of  the  oil  are  those  only  to  be  used.  Those  pieces  having  been 
selected  are  to  be  ground  to  a  fine  powder  and  then  sifted.  Place  the 
powder  now  in  a  glass  vessel,  and  add  to  it  a  corresponding  volume  of 
the  rosemary-oil;  stir  for  a  few  minutes,  when  you  will  have  a  thick  liquid. 
Leave  the  liquid  to  rest  now  for  two  or  three  hours,  then  add  a  few 
drops  of  pure  alcohol,  and  mix  slowly,  after  which  reduce  writh  alcohol 
until  the  required  consistence  is  obtained.  This  is  a  clear  and  beautiful 
varnish. 

Spirit-Varnishes. 

No.  1.  No.  1  a. 


Elemi, 

Mastic  in  tears, 

1 

•  •  1 

oz. 

i  part. 

i 

*  •  2 

<< 

2  “ 

Seed-lac, 

.  .  1 

u 

2  “ 

Sandarac, 

2 

u 

or  4  “ 

Venice  turpentine, 

.  ,  1 

i  6 

2  “ 

Powdered  glass, 

.  .  1 

a 

4  “ 

Alcohol,  . 

.  .  16 

No.  2. 

a 

i 

32  “ 

Mastic, 

•  •  • 

• 

.  1  dr. 

Sandarac, 

•  •  • 

• 

1  “ 

Lac,  ... 

•  •  • 

• 

.  6|“ 

Alcohol,  , 

•  •  • 

C 

.  5  fl.  oz. 

THE  VIC  LIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


F39 


No,  3. 

Gum  Sandarac, 

Seed-lac,  .... 

Mastic, . 

Benzoin,  in  tears, 

Powdered  glass, 
Venice-turpentine, 

Alcohol,  .... 

No.  4. 

Seed-lac,  «  «  *  •  « 

Sandarac,  .... 

Eilemi,  . 

Venice-turpentine,  . 

Powdered  glass, 

Alcohol,  .... 


4  oz. 
2  “ 

1  “ 

1  “ 

4  “ 

2  “ 
32  “ 


5 

2 

1 

2 


oz. 

u 

U 

U 


5 

24 


u 

u 


•  No.  5. 

Coarsely  powdered  copal  and  glass,  of  each,  4  oz. 

Camphor,  .  .  .  .  .  .  \  “ 

Alcohol  (64  O.  P.), . 1  pint. 

Heat  the  mixture  (with  frequent  stirring)  in  a  water-bath,  so  that  the 
bubbles  may  be  counted  as  they  rise,  until  solution  is  complete, 
then  decant  the  clear  portion. 


No  6. 

Mastic,  |  pound. 

Turpentine  Varnish,  ;  ,  .  .  .  2\  fl.  oz. 

Alcohol,  .  .  •  „  -  .  1  pint. 

This  is  the  spirit-varnish  so  often  seen  upon  the  cheap  German  Violins. 

No.  7. 

Colorless  Spirit-Varnish.  —  Dissolve  2$  ounces  picked  orange 
lac  in  a  pint  of  rectified  alcohol,  and  boil  well  for  a  few  minutes  with 
5  ounces  of  well  burnt  and  recently  heated  animal  charcoal.  A  small 
quantity  of  the  solution  should  now  be  filtered,  and  if  not  colorless,  add 
more  charcoal.  When  colorless,  press  the  liquor  through  a  piece  of  silk, 
and  filter  through  fine  filtering-paper  This  varnish  must  be  used  in  a 
room  where  the  temperature  is  about  6o°  Fahr.  It  does  not  chill  or 
bloom,  and  dries  in  a  few  minutes. 

The  preceding  varnishes  may  be  colored  to  any  suitable 
shade  by  the  use  of  the  following  substances  :  For  a  yellow 
tinge,  aloes,  annotto,  gamboge,  turmeric,  or  saffron  ;  any 
of  the  foregoing  will  give  various  shades  of  yellow.  For 
red,  use  dragon’s  blood,  or  red  saunders-wood,  and  bv  a 
judicious  mixture  of  the  foregoing  colors,  almost  any  of  the 
Violin  tints  may  be  obtained.  The  substances  are  to  be 
allowed  to  soak  in  the  alcohol  until  the  desired  amount  of 


140 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


color  is  produced,  or  a  small  quantity  of  alcohol  may  be 
used  separately  to  extract  the  coloring  matter,  which  may 
be  made  of  a  deep  intensity.  This  can  afterwards  be 
mixed  with  the  varnish  until  the  proper  color  is  arrived  at, 
observing  that  every  coating  of  varnish  adds  a  perceptible 
depth  of  color  to  the  preceding  one.  Madder  and  logwood 
are  sometimes  used  for  the  various  shades  of  brown.  Some 
Violin-makers  adopt  quite  a  different  method  of  coloring 
their  instruments  ;  thus,  instead  of  coloring  the  varnish, 
they  stain  the  Violin  with  the  liquid  stain  or  color,  and 
afterwards  apply  a  light-colored  varnish.  The  foregoing 
spirituous  extracts  would  give  such  stains,  or  merely  watery 
infusions  of  several  of  the  substances  laid  on  hot.  Stephen’s 
wood-stains  have  also  been  used  for  the  same  purpose,  but 
the  Violins  finished  by  this  method  have  always  a  painted 
appearance,  and  can  be  easily  recognized  from  those  which 
have  been  finished  with  the  color  in  the  varnish,  as  by  this 
latter  means  a  certain  transparency  and  harmony  of  color 
is  obtained,  which  never  can  be  produced  by  the  applica¬ 
tion  of  a  wash  or  stain  to  the  surface.  The  amateur  will 
require  but  few  tools  in  the  operation  of  varnishing,  viz., 
a  few  brushes,  tripoli-powder,  or  fine  glass-paper,  oil,  etc., 
The  brushes,  if  for  spirit-varnishing,  may  be  fiat  camel- 
hair  ones.  Those  vary  in  size,  being  from  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  to  five  inches  and  upwards  in  breadth.  A  brush  an 
inch  in  diameter  will  be  found  large  enough  for  general 
purposes,  whilst  a  small  camel  or  sable  brush  may  be  used 
for  varnishing  the  scroll  work  of  the  hand,  but  the  former 
brush,  if  carefully  used,  will  answer  for  the  whole  manipu¬ 
lation.  The  brushes,  after  being  used,  may  be  dipped  in 
methylated  spirit,  and  afterwards  pressed  out  between  the 
thumb  and  finger,  when  they  may  be  laid  aside  in  a  closely- 
fitting  tin  box.  By  this  method  they  will  be  rendered 
clean,  and  adapted  for  instant  use  at  any  required  time, 
as  if  this  final  washing  is  neglected,  the  brushes  get  quite 
hard,  and  the  amateur  will  experience  some  difficulty  in 
getting  them  properly  cleaned,  and  even  when  they  are  so, 
the  hairs  have  a  tendency  to  get  broken  or  loosened,  and 
such  loose  hairs  are  certain  to  attach  themselves  to  the  first 
coatings  of  varnish.  Care  should  be  taken  not  to  flood  the 
brush  with  varnish,  to  spread  the  coating  freely,  lightly, 
and  pretty  quickly,  as  the  varnish  soon  dries  ;  to  pass  the 


THE  VIOLIN:  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 


141 


brush  over  one  part  only  once  at  a  time,  and  never  to 
return  twice,  or  backwards  over  the  same  part,  as  if 
such  has  been  the  case,  the  part  alluded  to  is  sure  to  be 
rough  and  flaky  when  dry.  The  room,  also,  ought  to  be 
moderately  warm,  and  free  from  floating  dust  or  particles, 
or  the  varnish  is  almost  certain  to  chill  or  bloom. 

The  first  few  coatings  of  spirit-varnish  may  be  applied  to 
the  wood  crosswise,  although  the  final  coatings  must  be  laid 
on  in  the  direction  of  the  grain  or  woody  fibres.  When 
one  coating  is  perfectly  dry,  another  may  be  applied,  always 
leaving  a  sufficient  interval  of  time  to  allow  the  separate 
coatings  to  become  thoroughly  free  from  tackiness,  when 
the  rough  surface  left  by  the  brush-marks  has  then  to  un¬ 
dergo  the  operation  of  polishing. 

This  is  the  most  tedious  part  of  the  work,  and  unless 
carefully  conducted,  is  sure  to  be  attended  with  anything 
but  satisfactory  results.  When  several  coats  of  varnish 
have  been  applied  and  thoroughly  dry  (no  definite  number 
can  herein  be  specified,  as  much  depends  upon  the  quality 
and  fluidity  of  the  varnish,  and  the  finish  of  the  wood),  the 
surface  may  be  smoothed  with  glass-paper.  A  very  small 
quantity  of  raw  linseed-oil  may  be  used  with  the  glass- 
paper,  which  assists  in  hastening  the  smoothing  of  the  ine¬ 
qualities,  and  tends  to  prevent  heating  by  the  friction. 
When  the  surface  is  thus  rendered  smooth,  it  may  be 
wiped  with  an  old  silk  handkerchief,  to  remove  all  traces 
of  oiliness,  after  which  several  coats  of  varnish  are  to  be 
applied,  as  already  described.  When  dry,  the  polishing 
is  again  to  be  resumed  as  previously,  then  a  coat  or  two  of 
thinner  varnish  maybe  laid  on,  and  afterwards  polished  with 
tripoli-powder  and  oil,  until  the  surface  is  perfectly  smooth 
and  even,  after  which  it  may  be  rubbed  with  fine  flour  or 
starch,  and  finally  polished  with  a  piece  of  clean  silk  or 
flannel. 

Several  hours  ought  to  elapse  between  the  last  smoothing 
and  varnishing,  as  well  as  the  final  polishing,  that  the  whole 
may  have  attained  thorough  hardness,  otherwise  an  excel¬ 
lent  lustre  cannot  be  produced.  The  preceding  remarks 
chiefly  apply  to  spirit-varnish,  the.  essential  difference  in 
oil-varnish  being  the  length  of  time  taken  to  dry,  and  the 
varnish  being  of  a  thicker  consistence,  necessitates  fewer 
coats  —  one,  in  some  instances  being  sufficient — but  the 
amateur  will  readily  understand  this  from  the  nature  of  the 
varnish  he  may  be  inclined  to  adopt. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter  I.  —  Early  History  of  the  Instrument.  —  Early  Bow  In¬ 
struments.  Representation  of  the  Violin  on  the  Egyptian  Obe¬ 
lisk.  Fiddlers  in  1600.  Mysterious  alliance  between  color  and 
sound.  Dimensions  of  the  British  Crwth  or  Crowd.  Methods 
of  tuning  the  Crwth.  Invention  of  the  Gamut.  Manufacture  of 
Gut  Strings.  Hindoo  Scale.  Birthplace  of  the  Arts  and  Sci¬ 
ences.  Shift  playing.  Musical  Sand  of  California.  Chinese 
Fiddle.  Viol  d’Amour  described.  Double  Violin 

Chapter  II. —  Theoretical  Principles  of  Construction.  —  The  dif¬ 
ferent  sounds  of  the  Back  and  Breast.  Copying  Violins.  Imi¬ 
tation.  Cremona  Violins.  What  the  finest  Violins  tell  us.  The 
Neck  an  important  matter.  Tuning  Forks.  Woods  of  high  tone 
preferable . . 

Chapter  III.  —  Experimental  Researches  upon  the  Theory  of  Vio- 
lin-making  by  Savart.  Weight  supported  by  the  Belly.  Observa¬ 
tions  on  the  Double  Bass.  Why  Deal  is  employed  for  the  Breast. 
Dimensions.  Savart’s  various  modes.  Mass  of  air  in  Violin. 
Sound-Post.  Glass  Violins.  The  Violoncello  .... 

Chapter  IV. — Remarks  on  the  above  Theories.  —  Backs  thickest 
in  the  centre.  Organ  Pipes.  Variation  of  the  Sound-Post.  Why 
Stradivarius  increased  sizes  of  Violin . 

Chapter  V.  —  Construction  of  the  Instrument.  —  American  Clips. 
Arching  models  described.  How  to  form  and  graduate  the  Back. 
Back  and  Breasts  pieced.  Bass  Bar.  Method  of  gluing  on  Belly. 
Bow-Saw.  Graduation  of  Breasts.  Sizes  of  Corner-Blocks.  Dif¬ 
ferent  parts  to  the  Violin.  Final  Finishing  of  Violin.  How  to 
make  glue.  Form  of  Half-Moulds.  Indenting  described.  In¬ 
denting  Tools.  Gluing  on  Sides.  Plow  to  obtain  the  Model  of  a 
Violin.  Dove-tailing  the  Neck  described.  How  to  cut  Peg-holes 
and  Pegs.  Bending  of  Sides.  How  to  model  Sound-Holes.  Tail- 
Peg.  How  to  know  the  ages  of  Trees.  The  Wood  a  matter  of 
great  importance.  Method  of  Drying  Wood . 

( 142) 


PAGE 

3 

22 

32 

51 


58 


CONTENTS. 


T43 


PAGE 

CHAPTER  VI.  —  Mathematical  Method  of  Constructing  and  Model¬ 
ling  the  Violin.  —  The  proportions  of  the  Back.  Of  the  Bass-Bar. 

Of  the  Breast.  The  Bridge.  Details  of  Modelling  .  .  .87 

Chapter  VII.  —  Description  of  Savart’s  Box-Fiddle.  Particulars 
of  Chanot’s  Violin.  Terms  used  in  1306  .....  91 

Chapter  VI IT.  —  Appearance ,  Qualities,  etc.,  of  the  Violins  of  the 
most  Celebrated  Makers ,  with  the  Lives  of  the  Most  Eminent. — 
Flat-modelled  Violin’s  depth  of  Tone.  Advice  to  inexperienced 
Amateurs.  Amati  Violins,  Cremona  Violins,  Varnish,  etc. 
Stainer  Violins.  Fictitious  Cremonas.  Guarnerius  Violins,  etc. 

How  Fictitious  Violins  are  made.  Stradivarius  Violins,  etc.  The 
Violin  a  favorite  with  Ladies  ........  97 

Chapter  IX. —  The  Bow;  Rosin;  Strings.  —  Early  forms  of  the 
Bow.  Prices.  Vuillaume’s  Improvements.  Woods  used.  Er¬ 
roneous  idea  regarding  Cat-gut.  Chief  String  Manufacturers. 
Covered  Strings.  The  Dodd  Bows.  Characteristics  of  Good 
Strings.  Johnson’s  Metallic  Bows.  Lapot  Bows.  Otto’s  Method 
of  making  Rosin.  Panormo  Bows.  Hunt  &  Pochin’s  patent  for 
making  Rosin.  Liquid  Rosin.  To  make  Violinists’  Rosin.  Ad¬ 
vantages  of  Silk  Strings  and  howto  improve  them.  Stentor  Bowrs. 

How  to  keep  Strings.  Proportionate  sizes.  Combination  Silver 
String  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .119 

Chapter  X. —  Varnishes,  Stains,  etc.  —  Amber  Varnish.  Cremona 
Varnish.  Difficulties  in  Varnish.  Peter  Guarnerius’  rich  Var¬ 
nish.  Hints  to  young  Violinists.  Spirit  Varnish.  Staining  Vio¬ 
lins.  Varieties  in  Turpentine.  Varnish-making  a  secret.  Var¬ 
nish  oil.  Polish.  Substances  used  in  Varnishes.  Tools  requisite 
for  Varnishing  ....  ......  131 


COMPLETE 


WORLD-RENOWNED  METHOD 


ENGLISH  TEXT. 

NEW  EDITION,  REVISED,  ENLARGED,  AND  IMPROVED, 

CONTAINING 

KLOSE’S  COMPLETE  METHOD, 

TO  WHICH  HAS  BEEN  ADDED 


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fingering,  with  complete  table  of  shakes  for  both  systems,  and  thorough 
instructions  to  learn  how  to  play  this  beautiful  intsrument.  GUARAN¬ 
TEED  to  be  the  Largest  and  Most  Complete  Edition  of  Klose’s  Clari¬ 
net  Method  published.  Ask  for  White’s  Edition  containing  240 
pages,  and  take  no  other. 

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10O  NEW  AND  ORIGINAL  Clog  Hornpipes,  Reels,  Walk-Arounds,  Scotch  and 
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WHITE’S  AIRS  WITH  VARIATIONS,  arranged  as  easy  SOLOS  for  the  Violin. 
50  WALTZES,  QUADRILLES,  GALOPS,  &e.,  ist  Series,  easy. 

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100  IRISH  AIRS,  including  the  most  popular  of  Moore’s  Melodies,  arranged  for 
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